WEEK 12: FEBRUARY 12-17

Friday, February 12

Only four seconds on the clock. The quarterback firmly plants his feet into the battered field and prepares himself for the final play of the game. He grits his teeth, clenches his hands, and takes one slow deep breath before he calls the start of the play. He can hear the cheers of the fans in the stands and the heavy breathing of his fellow teammates; he can smell the sweat drip off of his face and the freshly mown field under his feet; he can feel the cool air around him and the rush of his final play of high school football. The quarterback catches the snap, fakes a pass, and ducks through the defense of the other team to score the winning touchdown. The crowd erupts into deafening cheers of victory and his teammates pummel him with rough hugs and high fives. “I did it,” the quarterback thought. “I’ve won!”

Have you ever been in a situation like this? A situation in which people shower you with encouraging words, thanks, and congratulations for something you have done? If so, how did you respond to the situation?

Read 1 Corinthians 1:20- 31 (I Corinthians is before 2 Corinthians and after Romans in the New Testament).

In this passage, Paul explains to the church in Corinth the importance of understanding their own insignificance in comparison to God’s wisdom, knowledge, strength, and being, and that, in our weaknesses, God chooses to work through us to glorify Himself and enable us to do things that we could not do without Him.

Pride is a lurking sin that haunts every person in nearly every aspect of their life, and often goes unnoticed because they believe pride to only be an open form of haughtiness. This is a lie that our enemy uses to cripple us and cause us to think that dwelling on ourselves is an acceptable way to walk through life. However, God calls us to “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10). Another translation says to “love one another as more important than yourselves.” As Christ followers, we are called to abandon our pride or self-centeredness and humbly allow the Holy Spirit to work through us to serve and love the people around us. Ultimately, when we let go of our pride, it becomes much more natural for us to engage in a relationship with Jesus Christ and love and treasure Him above ourselves and our desires.

“Self-forgetfulness in the presence of Greatness is the capstone of joy.” –John Piper

Only when we forget ourselves and worship our Mighty King with a humble heart, will we experience true joy and satisfaction.

The quarterback was not wrong in celebrating his victory; however, he was wrong in assuming the win was all about himself. Humbly accept the praise people give you, but remember to give thanks to God for using you in any area of your life to glorify Himself. Even in the little things.

Monday, February 15

Katie ran to the bathroom as tears welled up in her aching eyes. She could hear the laughter behind her as her fellow classmates continued to hurl insults at her for a situation that was beyond her control. With the stall door locked and the rest of the bathroom cleared of a few gossiping girls, Katie began to sob. It was one of those days. Her father had recently lost his job and her parents were on the verge of permanent separation. Her older brother and sister were coping with the situation by experimenting with drugs and alcohol, and today, Katie’s ex-boyfriend, John, loudly declared the extent of their physical relationship to the boy’s locker room during 2^nd period gym. Katie’s shame was unbearable. Although she had recently surrendered her life to Christ, she never imagined the harm a few hurtful words could do to her faith. Little, righteous Katie might still have some fun in her after all; those words rang in her head over and over and over again. The boys who continued to taunt her claimed to be Christians and did not once attempt to apologize for their foolish and disgusting words.

Have you ever been teased by people who are supposed to build you up? If so, how did you respond? Have you ever teased anyone that you should have been building up? If so, have you apologized to this person?

Read Ephesians 4:25-32 (Ephesians is after Galatians and before Philippians in the New Testament).

Paul writes to the church in Ephesus and pleads with them to build each other up by speaking truth to their brothers and sisters in Christ. He warns fellow believers of the schemes of the enemy and advises them to graciously encourage one another in order to combat the evils of this world. When we begin to taunt, tease, and purposefully discourage other people, the enemy uses these hurtful words to implant lies into the minds of their receivers.

Write down things that you have said to purposefully discourage someone else in order to make yourself feel better than that person. Repent of this sin, and if possible, apologize to the person you have sinned against.

Write down ways in which you can encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ, your family, your friends, your neighbors, and everyone around you.

Katie prayed that God would reveal truth to her in this confusing time, and the Holy Spirit faithfully comforted her aching heart. She emerged from her stall, wiped the tears from her eyes, and walked through the halls of her school with a hope that God’s grace and love is sufficient for her in every aspect of her life.

Tuesday, February 16

The moonlight glittered magnificently off the calm sea below, and I felt the warm touch of a summer’s breeze flow through my tangled hair. The sand shifted beneath my toes, and the sound of my family’s laughter in the distance brought me great comfort and peace. I slowly approached the waves moving rhythmically back and forth to brush the dry sand in front of me. Shells slid from under my feet, and I caught glimpses of tiny crabs crawling quickly toward the open shoreline. I plopped down onto a dry mound of sand and positioned myself to look closely at the beautiful sky above. With no clouds in the sky, the full moon shone brightly enough to illuminate the beach and display its full beauty to its fortunate observers. The stars blinked and glowed like fireflies in the dead of night, and some fell quickly through the infinite black of the universe to appease my ever-wandering imagination. I slowly breathed in the cool, salty air and realized I was sitting in the midst of God’s masterpiece.

Have you ever witnessed a portion of God’s creation that left you stunned, shocked, and without words to describe the depth of its beauty? Have you ever witnessed a beautiful sunrise, sunset, view from a mountain top, or the magnificence of the ocean? If so, how did you respond to God’s masterpiece?

Read Psalm 19: 1-6 (Psalms is before Proverbs and after Job in the Old Testament).

God reveals His glory to us through His creation and projects His beauty in the awe-inspiring masterpieces He has created and is creating. He uses the skies, the sun, the moon, the stars, the birds, the people, the friendships, the families, and the entirety of creation to bring fame to His name, so that we can praise Him and find joy and satisfaction in Him.

Next time you witness one of God’s masterpieces reflect on His love, His grace, His mercy, His holiness, His righteousness, His infinitude, His beauty, and His glory. Take a moment and give thanks to the mighty and captivating God that rules and reigns with grace and love.

WEEK 11: FEBRUARY 8-10

Monday, February 8, 2010

“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth…” Ephesians 6:14

Ask yourself this question, “What are some ways in my own life where I can fasten on the belt of truth?” What comes to mind?

Is it thoughts about yourself and your worth?

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Is it thoughts about things or people in your life that have you imprisoned?

“…you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.” Romans 1:6

Is it the beliefs about yourself that tell you that you are not good enough?

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9

Is it thoughts wondering who God is?

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:15-17

Whatever your thoughts are, there is TRUTH, scripture that combats it. It is your defense. You fasten yourself with the truth in the Word of God.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

How can you put on the shield of faith?

Are there some things in your life right now where you have lost your direction? Are you confused as to where God is? Or maybe it’s something as simple as cruising along with life and faith gets put in other things, maybe even in you. Do any of these questions resonate with you?

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and being certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

Ok, so you are sitting in science class and the teacher begins to tell you about oxygen. Immediately, you sink deeper into your chair, the pen comes out and you start doodling. But, then imagine if your teacher starts telling the class that oxygen doesn’t exist. You perk up at this point. He tells the class that oxygen is just a myth. His reasoning? Because you can’t see it. Now, there are novels and journals and books dedicated to telling people about oxygen. However, he doesn’t believe in it because he can’t see it. It may be one of the most important elements in our world. It just happens to be the air we breathe.

Sometimes it’s difficult to put your trust and faith in things that are not tangible and visible with our own eyes. But that is the cool part of faith! We may not see it there, but it’s there and it’s there to shield us from the arrows of the evil one. We will not, nor ever will be abandoned by our God.

“…if we are faithless, he remains faithful – for he cannot deny himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

WEEK 10: JANUARY 28 - FEBRUARY 3

Thursday, January 28, 2010

When you think of the word opposite what do you think of? What comes to mind? Day and Night, Morning and Night, Go and Stop, Sit and Stand, Lazy and Active, Fun and Boring, Shy and Outgoing, Black and White, etc…

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17 (2 Corinthians is after 1 Corinthians and before Galatians)

Thinking over last night talk, what are some things in our own lives that have become opposite now that we have a NEW HEART and we are a NEW CREATION.

Fill in the blank for me…

You were broken, now you are ________________.

You were dead, now you are ___________________.

You were sinful, now you are __________________.

You were old, now you are _____________________.

You were hopeless, now you are ______________.

You were tied up in sin, now you are _________.

Get the picture? Now you are fixed, alive, righteous, new, hopeful, and free because of the cross!

Spend time rejoicing in your new creation!

Friday, January 29

He (God) does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love toward hose who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west, so far does He

remove our transgressions from us.

Psalm 103:10-12

In this verse, we are told that nothing that we can ever do or say that is out of God’s will (in other words, SIN) that can separate for how much God loves us. He does not even hold it against us. We are debt free! What is a debt? Imagine you are out to eat or out shopping with a friend. They ask to borrow money from you because they really wanted a desert or they saw a cute top that looked SO good on them or they found a video game that they’ve always said they “had to have”. They promise you they will pay you back. So, you fork over the money. Days go by and you still are not repaid. Another week turns into months, and you realize it’s almost been a year since this person has paid you back. Not only that, but since that one day, they’ve asked for more money, that just adds to the total of how much they owe you. Can you imagine one day just waking up and completely forgetting that that person owed you anything? What if they came up to you and apologized over and over again, and you have no idea what they are talking about? So, you tell them to forget about the debt. It doesn’t make sense, but God does this with our sin. Because of the cross, he completely wipes the slate clean of any sin/transgression/iniquities (all of these words mean the same thing) on our hearts.

His love is STEADFAST. It is never changing and never ending. It is continual. We do not have to worry about the day when His love goes away. It is and will always be the most consistent thing in your life. I encourage you to take this verse and put it somewhere that will catch your eye daily. So that you may be reminded of the debt that has been paid, and that your sin no longer separates you from God.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Read Ezekiel 11:19,20 (Ezekiel is after Lamentations and before Daniel in the Old Testament)

Anyone a “Chronicles of Narnia” fan? I sure am. It’s one of my favorite stories. (side note: if you haven’t done this yet, watch the movie with the idea that Aslan, the lion, is God and the White Witch, the queen, is Satan. That is something that will get you excited!) There is one part of the story that sticks out to me and is something I think about whenever I read the above scripture. In the “Chronicles of Narnia”, Edmund, Lucy, Peter, and Susan befriend a man named Mr. Tumnus. At one point, Edmund is enticed by the schemes of the White Witch and Mr. Tumnus goes after him. While trying to save Edmund, the White Witch turns Mr. Tumnus into stone. He is not the only one. There are many others in the room that are stone as well.

Before Christ, we are just as Mr. Tumnus was. We have hearts of stone. Write down some characteristics of a stone. (cold, hard, nonliving, unyielding) We do not have to live with this within us any longer. In Ezekiel, it says that we have a NEW heart. And that heart is no longer a heart of STONE, but a heart of FLESH. Write down some characteristics of flesh. (alive, warm, breathing, malleable) Doesn’t this sound more exciting? And that is something that the Lord promises to give to us. SO, if you have become a believer in Christ, you have been given a new heart. You have been given something that is alive and beautiful.

In the story, Aslan laid down his life in order for the White Witch to leave Edmund alone. However, he soon comes back to life ready to finish defeating the queen. Aslan runs to her castle and frees the prisoners who had been turned to stone. They come alive and are no longer stone.

Thank you, Lord, that the same promise has been given to us!

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

2 Corinthians 5:21

“For our sake, he made him who knew no sin to be sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Just like you do with frogs and pigs in school, let’s spend some time dissecting this verse!

“For our sake…” Let us go no further than praise God for this statement. There was nothing else that we could do in order to become new creations. He knew that we would be in trouble without him. So, for our sake, he did something. Spend some time praising God that it was nothing that we did, but it was all His doing. And if you need to, confess the moments when you thought you could do it all on your own. He longs for our surrender.

“…he made him who knew no sin to be sin…” In other words, God the Father, made Jesus the Son, who was absolutely perfect with no flaw or sinful nature in him at all, to come down and take on all of our sin. Sometimes, I read this and I ask myself, WHY? I challenge you to do that as well. Ask the Lord right now, why He would take on your sin. Ask Him why he would do something like that for you. And you know what His answer is most likely going to be? “Because I love you and I want a relationship with you…” Me? you ask. Yes, you!

“…so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” What does it mean to become the righteousness of God? Righteousness means to be right with someone. Before the cross, because of sin, we were not right with God. God and sin do not exist together. So, Jesus had to take on our sin so that we may become RIGHT WITH GOD. Have you ever thought, even after becoming a believer, that you were not right with God? Have you ever thought that there was a gap between you and God and there was no way that you would ever be right with him? You know what? That is a LIE that Satan would love for you to believe. Now, because of this verse, you can tell yourself that you are righteous because of the cross! You have been made new! Write down your reaction to this! Tell God what this means to you. Thank Him for your new identity as a righteous man of God!

WEEK 9: JANUARY 21 - 27

Thursday, January 21

Read Matthew 8:23-27 (Matthew is the first book of the New Testament)

Ok. Do me a favor and place yourself in this situation! It’s crazy. You are in a boat (not a cruise ship, but a fishing boat… think small) in the middle of the open sea. After a few hours of being on this boat, you are far from land, and the sky starts to rumble. The waves become, compared to your boat, giants causing you freak out. I mean you’d freak out, wouldn’t you? I know I would! I’d immediately go to someone who knew what they were doing and scream for help! Can you imagine reaching that person and find that they were sleeping through the big storm? I’d shake, I’d poke, and I’d do anything and everything to wake them up.

Do you ever feel like this sometimes? Do you ever feel like you’re screaming and begging for help out from the storm going on around you? Don’t you just want to go on a trip without waves crashing on you? It feels like a battle sometimes, doesn’t it?

As we continue to dig deeper into a deeper knowledge of this war over our hearts, let us consider 1 John 4:4. “… for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” This is an amazing truth that we have to cling to as our safety! In the moments when the disciples were on that boat, the one who was in the boat with them was the one who could calm the sea. Just like that, in our lives of confusion and storms, we have that same Savior living INSIDE of us against the schemes of the evil one (aka big waves, lightning, threats of death, etc).

Monday, January 25

Read Luke 15:11-32 (Luke is after Mark and before John in the New Testament)

Let’s focus on the part of the story when the younger son messed up first. Let’s name him Sammy. Sammy has just lost everything he owns. He has no place to go, nowhere to sleep, no friends to help him out. He’s borrowed money from people who now want nothing to do with him, and he’s flat out broke. Sammy decides the only place to go is to beg for a job from his dad who he previously insulted and abandoned. Can you imagine?!? The enemy was definitely fighting for Sammy’s heart. There was a battle being fought for who Sammy would give the glory to. Wouldn’t you agree? Look through the “agreement” statements below. Write down the one(s) that you believe Sammy has already agreed to so far? And what are some agreements that he may come in contact with in returning to his dad?

“It’s just…”

“No one will know if I…”

“Did God really say…”

“If only I…”

“I can’t stop…”

“Wow, you really…”

“You’re just…”

Now, place a check next to the ones that you’ve said before. Maybe you’re saying them now in a certain situation? There are many moments in my life where I’ve been the younger son. I’ve listened to some of these agreement statements and I’ve agreed with the enemy, believing them to be true, wishing for them to be true… Grace abounds! God picks us up and severs the agreement as soon as we RETURN to Him. But, by returning to him, it doesn’t mean that the lies of the enemy stop. They will be there. But, now we have the knowledge to speak truth the lies. We have victory in the cross of Jesus! Spend some time praising God that those statements you check are no longer yours to carry, but that you believe in His truth now.

Tuesday, January 25, 2010

Let us be prepared for EACH battle by looking to Scripture.

Read Acts 16:16-24

Paul and Silas are in the slammer. Not only that, but they were falsely accused, stripped, and beaten with a rod. And all because they longed for people to know the God who saves! This would be an extremely difficult thing to swallow, would it not? What if you were just walking down the hallway in your school and out of nowhere a group of teachers grab you, take off your clothes in front of everyone and just start throwing punches? There is a police officer nearby that you believe will surely come and take over at some point, however you find out that he is the one giving the orders!

Let’s again do what we did yesterday with the “agreement” statements. It is good to be on our defense and see places in Scripture where these moments with the enemy could have occurred. Looking at the below statements, right down the statements that Satan could have and probably did throw at Paul and Silas in this moment?

“It’s just…”

“No one will know if I…”

“Did God really say…”

“If only I…”

“I can’t stop…”

“Wow, you really…”

“You’re just…”

There are many agreements here that many of us would be thinking if we were in the same situation. Do you ever feel falsely accused? Do you feel like you’ve been beaten up all day for no reason? What are some sentences that the enemy says to you in those moments?

Read Acts 16:25

“…Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God…”

Wow. They were praying and singing hymns to GOD! They did not give in to the easily heard lies and defeated thoughts at that moment. Instead, they spent their first few moments in prison praising God. Spend some time right now doing just that. And ask Him to keep you aware of the war around you so that you may respond in the same way that Paul and Silas responded.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Read Number 13:25-30 (Numbers is after Leviticus and before Deuteronomy in the Old Testament)

Why do you think that God wanted the Israelites to go and spy out the land? Part of me is thinking that God already knew what was in the land, so what was the point? But, after everything that we’ve been talking about with the battle that we have on us daily, it kinda makes sense to know the person you are facing before the battle actually happens. In a football game, the teams are usually spending time looking at the tapes of the other teams. They watch the defense and they see their weaknesses and their strengths, and then they go out and they practice ways where they can be better than the opposing team.

We should be doing this exact thing in our daily lives. We should be looking at ways of the past and seeing how the enemy works and how he has lied to us. From what Rob talked about last week, we know that the enemy’s native tongue is lying and he can’t speak truth. Therefore, we should not believe ANYTHING he says. How do we know when a truth is a truth and a lie is a lie? We look in God’s Word! It is our source of TRUTH.

Spend some time asking the Lord to reveal to you ways in the past where the enemy has fed you a lie. Tell him that you want to be prepared for what is coming up in your life so that you won’t believe those lies anymore! Let us be as the 12 spies were in Canaan. May we be ready for the battles we have ahead of us.

“But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to OVERCOME it.” Numbers 13: 30

WEEK 8: JANUARY 14 - 20

Thursday, January 14

Today I went running. I know, some of you probably think I’m crazy for attempting to run in this extremely cold weather, but I just couldn’t sit still any longer. So, I laced up my tennis shoes and braved the cold. I didn’t think it would be really cold once I got my body moving, but I was very wrong. My teeth soon started to chatter and I’m pretty sure that I couldn’t feel my cheeks or my hands as I was running. I wanted to turn around and head back to my warm and cozy house. It seemed like such an easy choice. Just as those thoughts were running through my mind, I saw someone coming toward me with the best winter outfit on you could imagine… puffy jacket, thick gloves, scarf wrapped around her head, ski pants and hat. All I saw of her was her eyes. I started to think how ridiculous she looked and kinda laughed under my breath. However, as soon as I thought this, the Lord quickly kicked me in the butt and made me realize that though she may look ridiculous, she won’t be paying for it later as much as I will. Now, hours later, I have a little bit of a cough forming in my throat…

Being equipped and ready for things is so important in life. Sometimes we look at other people and we think they look ridiculous for the choices and decisions that they are making. We don’t really see it as that big of a deal if we see this movie, tell this joke, date this guy/girl, go to this party… And we don’t see how down the road we are going to pay for it.

Read Philippians 4:8

Are there some things in your life that do not match up with this verse? I know that I can think of some things for me! We are to be ready and equipped for whatever the Lord has in store for us. And here is an amazing guideline to take with us throughout the day. He promises us life and life to the full. He loves us so much that He knows that when we think on these things, we will be imitating Christ and His life.

Friday, January 15

Read John 10:10

Who doesn’t want a FULL life? There is another version of this verse that says “a more and better life than they have ever dreamed of”. When I read this verse my heart screams, “I want that!” Don’t you? Don’t you want a life more and better than you’ve ever dreamed of? And Jesus, Savior of the world, is promising this for us. I don’t know about you, but that is something that I want to grab if it’s offered, right? However, the beginning of this verse tells us that there is something out there that wants us the opposite for us. There is a thief, an enemy out there who wants to steal, kill, and destroy any joy that we have for that full life. Can you see places in your life where you see opposition?

This is exactly what I think of when I read this verse:

There is opposition. A tug of war over our hearts. Can’t you just picture it? Can you see the places in your life where there is a tug of war? In the moments where you feel defeated, where you feel overwhelmed, quote the second part of this verse. Say out loud and believe that God desires you to have a full and abundant life! There are power in your words.

Monday, January 18

The warrior lays wounded in a heap of mud, sweat, and blood. As he slips slowly in and out of consciousness, the battle rages on around him. Swords clash, arrows fly, armor falters, and the cries of angry men fill his ears with the unmistakable sounds of war. The faces of those he fights for flash before his eyes: his wife, his young daughter, his village, his king, and he feels the weight of the battle fall heavily on his weak and bruised shoulders. With a deep intake of breath, the warrior attempts to lift himself from the ground but falters and falls helplessly back into the filth. He cries for help, but none can hear him. He struggles to stand, but cannot lift his shoulders off the ground. He thinks of his family, and screams in agony. I’ve failed, the warrior concludes. I cannot do this on my own.

Lately, I’ve felt a lot like the warrior mentioned in the short anecdote above. Battered, bruised, and left in the dust by the world around me. However, as followers of Christ we’re called to “set [our] minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2). You might think this is a little much to ask when your face is in the mud and all you can do is hope you avoid another fight with your parents, those girls at school, or the addiction that has begun to take over all of your attention.

I feel lonely, I feel helpless, and I know that I cannot do this on my own.

Do you ever feel like this? If you do, (which if you’re human, I’m sure you do), God desires to comfort you in your loneliness, deliver you from your helplessness, and engage in a personal relationship with you.

Read Ephesians 6:10-17 (Ephesians is after Galatians and before Philippians in the New Testament)

God clearly reveals to us through His Word that there is a battle raging around us for our hearts and our souls and that spending an eternity with Jesus is at stake. God realizes that we cannot fight this battle in our sinful flesh, so when we surrender our lives to Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and enables us to glorify God with our lives in a way that we could never do on our own. The Holy Spirit even enables us to set our minds on Jesus during the worst times of our lives. Paul (the writer of Ephesians) encourages the church of Ephesus to “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10).

Take a moment and meditate on each piece of the armor of God presents in Ephesians 6:10-17. Think about how God can work through you and use each piece of armor to combat the battles raging in your own life.

The warrior felt the ground shake underneath him in his defeat, and he heard the deafening approach of a horse’s run. Fear of death crept over the warrior as he imagined being trampled by the approaching animal, but this fear drastically faded to relief as he felt the arms of a fellow warrior pull his body onto the restless horse. His hope was renewed, his strength had returned, and his heart beat harder with a desire fight the evil around him.

Tuesday, January 19

Enter stage left: the bubbly sixteen-year-old girl eager to display her talent to the judges sitting before her. She comes from a small town, has a large family, and strives her best to maintain decent grades in school. After a fidgety and nervous start, she manages to belt out a few strong notes that win over the judges’ hearts and earn her a place in the next round of the competition. When interviewed about her achievement, she cries and exclaims, “This is what I’ve always wanted!”

Sound familiar?

American Idol is just one many examples of entertainment that define our culture. In America, we strive to place people on pedestals, idolizing them for their talents, attitudes, and physical appearance. We rejoice in their outward appearances and fail to “look on the heart” as God says He does in 1 Samuel 16:7. Because God created us to be creatures of worship, we are tempted to worship things other than Him. This is a battle of worship that we face daily in the invisible war for our hearts and souls.

Read 1 John 2:15-17 (1 John is before 2 John and after 2 Peter in the New Testament)

God declares that those who love the world and things of the world cannot also love Him. However, we need to examine these verses in context. We know that God does not hate the world, because according to John 3:16, “ God so LOVED the world.” This passage is speaking specifically about the world’s culture and its sinful influences. We should not love the perverse nature of culture, the exultation of creation over Creator, or the prideful nature of our hearts.

Reflect on the verses from 1 John and write down some things you are idolizing above God in your own life. Talk to God about it.

You’ll soon realize that your actions are sinful because God created us to worship Him for His glory and our ultimate joy. Only in Him can we find true satisfaction, so why do we continue to idolize things other than our Savior?

“We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). Be aware of the enemy’s influence on our culture and never forget to put on the full armor of God to combat his advances. God loves you and will enable you to face the enemy head-on when you are tempted to worship things of this world. Just ask Him.

Wednesday, January 20

mages of the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti flash across the computer screen. A woman looks hopelessly toward the camera, covered in dust and blood. Children and elderly women hold onto one another as they search for their loved ones. Bodies lie limply in the mounds of rubble as fires rage in crumbling buildings behind them. Students pull each other from the rubble and stumble away from their crumpled university. People scream and run in confusion and horror. Men, women, and children cry out desperation as their family members, friends, and neighbors fall under the weight of this tragic natural disaster.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/01/earthquake_in_haiti.html

Take a moment and pray for the people of Haiti.

In times of crisis, people gather around one another for comfort and support, and a bond is formed despite previous differences. As Christ followers, we’re called to come alongside our brothers and sisters and encourage, comfort, and support them in times of crisis and in times of joy.

Read Ephesians 1:15-22 (Ephesians is before Philippians and after Galatians in the New Testament)

In this passage, Paul (the writer of Ephesians) encourages the church in Ephesus by declaring he is thankful for his Christian brothers and sisters there and repeats specifically how he prays for them.

Examine each verse of this passage carefully and reflect on the beautiful truth that permeates throughout Paul’s prayer. Now pray the same prayer for your brothers and sisters in Christ, for your church, for Sublime, for your family. Thank God for the beautiful things He has orchestrated through His Son Jesus and for the things He has given us, and continue to pray for the people of Haiti.

WEEK 7: DECEMBER 31 - JANUARY 6

Thursday, December 31

Happy New Year! Before we get into any scripture, stop and look over the last year. Write down certain events that stick out to you. God longs to speak to those moments in your life. Good or bad, talk to God about those circumstances. If you’re like me, your year was crazy and full of ups and downs. There are many hard events that make my heart sting still, but then there are some moments that put a smile on my face and I can’t help but be thankful. God has given us ups and downs in our lives so that we are forced to depend upon Him. He grants us the strength to get through the difficult days and extra peace to embrace the good days. Thank you, Lord, that you are in control!!!

Jeremiah 31:3 says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”

(Jeremiah is after Isaiah and before Lamentations)

His love for us is never ending! His love has NO BOUNDS. He will continue to be there for us, take care of us, and place us by His side so that we are never wanting! So, as we look to the New Year, we can breathe a sigh of relief that despite our current circumstances, we know that He is faithful to love us. Spend some time telling God about the year ahead of you and SURRENDER it over to Him.

Friday, January 1

Read Exodus 14

(Exodus is after Genesis and before Leviticus)

I can’t help but think of the story of the crossing of the Red Sea when I think about diving into a new year. Ok, bear with me… Think of the Red Sea as your spring semester at school. It’s full of schoolwork, teachers, and tests. You’ve got friends, boyfriends, and girlfriends floating around there somewhere. There are broken families, parents, and siblings. Then there are the things that are not visible to the eye. The insecurities, doubts, and fears are floating around in that Red Sea. The things that go on when no one is around that only you know about are in there too. And picture yourself as Moses and Israelites on the shore looking at all of these things. It’s scary. It’s scary to see how you’ll walk through it all without drowning. BUT, and that’s a pretty BIG BUT. (haha, big but… I’m funny). God shows up and does something insane.

“And Moses said to the people, ‘Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today… The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” Exodus 14:13,14

What? We only have to be still? Doesn’t make much sense. But, slowly, with our fears of the things staring us in our face, we choose to believe that God is going to get us through the steps ahead. And God pushes the Sea apart, and we are able to walk on dry land. We are able, because of God’s power and goodness, to walk safely and securely past these insecurities, relationships, and everyday fears.

I want to encourage you to sit and write down all of those things that are in your Red Sea of 2010. What are they? Be specific. Then, read the verses 13 and 14 over and over again. Commit each parts of your Red Sea to the Lord, trusting that “the Lord will fight for you, you have only to be still”.

Monday, January 4

Let’s continue with our theme for looking toward the new year/semester ahead of us! Continue to surrender your next year to the Lord. Tell Him the things in your life where you need Him to take over. Write down the objects, situations, and relationships and imagine placing them in His hands.

Read Colossians 1:15-17

(Colossians is after Philippians and before 1 Thessalonians)

What one word does Paul seem to use over and over again? Clue: it has three letters and begins with A and ends with L… ok, so the clue might have given it away. ALL. Paul, the author of Colossians, wants us to know with much emphasis that God is ALL, has ALL, and is over ALL.

“firstborn of ALL creation… ALL things were created… he is before ALL things…. In him ALL things hold together…”

Pretty incredible, huh? Every thought that we have, every good or bad circumstance that comes up, every relationship that goes south, every insecurity or doubt that surfaces is in His hands. We no longer have to wonder who will take care of us.

I encourage you to look at verse 17, and replace the words ALL THINGS with your own words. Use that verse as a way to place that trust in Him.

Tuesday, January 5

There have been so many times in my life where I know that the Lord is asking me to give Him something. I feel that tug on my heart. That tug is telling me that I need to step away from something or that I need to talk about it with someone. Or sometimes I see something that I want to change. Sometimes I have moments where I wish things to be different and for people to know and see the Lord the way that I do. And in those moments, I get scared. I get scared of what the other person will think, or even what friends or my peers will think of me if I change a little. I am fearful.

Read Joshua 1:5-9

Those are some strong words coming from the Lord! Joshua has just been asked to take over Moses’ job and be the leader of the Israelites. It’s the same thing as God telling you that President Obama is stepping down from his position and you are now going to lead the people of the United States. Can you imagine?!? I would flip out! However, Joshua took his place in the position, but do you think he still had fears? This verse answers my question. Of course he was fearful. Of course he doubted. And the Lord spoke directly to those fears. 3 times the Lord told Joshua to be strong and courageous!

What are some things that the Lord is tugging on your heart right now? Is he asking you to be a Joshua at your school? What about in your home? Or with a situation that no one knows about?

BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS!

Wednesday, January 6

Read John 15: 5-8

Definition of Abiding (In Christ): a condition or way of living in absolute dependence on God that recognizes our belief that the life and death of Christ is the only source to meeting all our needs. After reading this, do you feel like you are abiding in Christ? Are you fully depending on God for all of your needs?

In John, God gives us such an incredible example of what it means to be dependent upon Him. Let’s pull out our green thumbs and try our best to relate to plants, ok? In order for plants to live they have to be connected to a root/vine. If they are pulled away from that root, then what happens? The plant is dead. However, if the plant is connected with the root, it will continue to grow and eventually produce a fruit. Right? Here, the Lord is saying that he is our root. We must stay in constant connection with him, abiding in the life of Jesus Christ in order to live. If you’re like me, your day can get pretty crazy and busy. Our worlds are full of distractions just begging for us to dismember ourselves from our “root”. What are some ways that we can stay abiding in Christ? Write down whatever comes to mind and put them into practice!

WEEK 6: DECEMBER 10 - 16

Thursday, December 10

Read John 12:46

As we all have heard “Jesus is the reason for the season”. During this time of year, it’s good to reflect on the Christmas story. However, I think more importantly that we should look into WHY Jesus came to dwell among us.

The verse you read tells us that Jesus came so that whoever believed in Him would no longer remain in darkness. What is the definition of darkness in your own words? Name some things in this world and in your life that can cause you darkness.

Good news. Everything you just named is no longer yours to walk in. Why? Because God’s Word is truth. And God tells us that he came into this world so that you and I do not have to deal with those dark things. Believe Him for these promise are true.

Friday, December 11

Read John 3:17

Condemn: (verb) to express complete disapproval of, typically in public

Can you imagine how different the story of Christmas would be if Jesus came to this world to express to everyone how disappointed He was in us? Unfortunately, this is something that a lot of people believe. The would believes that Jesus wants to constantly tell us He is angry with us and that we are not good enough for Him. Clearly, from the word of His own mouth, this is not true. Does anything come to mind that you believe God is disappointed in you about? Do you see now that He is not disappointed? He looks at you in approval. He loves you. He believes in you because He made you. You are His child. His own.

Saved: (verb) to keep safe or rescue (something or someone) from harm or danger

Jesus came into this world to RESCUE us. He came so that we are no longer in danger of death and hopelessness. He came to take us out of our hurting and into a loving and intimate relationship with Him. Is there something you need to be rescued from? What is it? Spend some time giving those things over to the Lord. All you have to do is ask. He will never refuse. He is our salvation. And praise Him for the safe keeper and rescuer that He is!