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Crazy Love: Chapter 2

2015-04-15T07:56:00.001-07:00

Week 3: Chapter 2

Ice Breaker:

Challenge Review:(groups of 2-3)

Share your reflections on who God is from Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4

Prime the Pump:

Chapter 2 Video

Discussion/Prayer

Read James 4:13-14

Do you really believe you could vanish at any minute, that your life could end today?

How would you live life differently if you held on to the perspective that this could be your last day on earth?

Read Philippians 4:4-9

“When I am consumed by my problems-stressed out about my life, my family, and my job I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God’s command to always rejoice. In other words, that I have a right to disobey God because of the magnitude of my responsibilities. Worry implies that we don’t quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what’s happening in our lives. Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control.”

How does what Francis say about stress and worry “reeking of arrogance” resonate with you?

What does Francis suggest we do to put our worries and anxieties in perspective?
How does your prayer life reflect your tendency towards being arrogantly self-centered?
How does the way you select a church or interact with people at church reflect your selfish misguided perspective on life?

Read Psalm 73

What parts of Psalm 73 do you see in your expectations and attitudes towards God and others?

What does the Psalmist say brought him perspective? How can you cultivate a habit of seeing your life in light of the perspective of the psalmist?(17)
What did the Psalmist do after re-framing his perspective? (28)

Read 1 John 2:3-6

How has what you've read influence what you know about growing in your intimacy with God? How can someone grow in their knowledge of God if they do not know His commands? What is the key to growing in our knowledge of God/His commands?

Read Matthew 10:32-33

How does this Matthew 10 change your view of what it means to be ready to die?

How does the story of Stan and Brooke in “Crazy Love” change the way you view the purpose of your life?

“Friends, we need to stop living selfish lives, forgetful of our God. Our lives here are short, often unexpectedly so, and we can all stand to be reminded of it from time to time. That’s why I wrote this chapter, to help us remember that in the movie of life, nothing matters except our King and God.

Challenge Activity:

Write your own obituary. If you were to die today would you be satisfied with the life you’ve lived? Are you satisfied with the direction your life is headed? What do you want people to remember you for? What kind of legacy do you want to have? What is missing from your life? What do you need to do in order for your “obituary” to be complete? Be prepared to share with your group next week.

Crazy Love: Chapter 1

2015-04-15T07:52:00.001-07:00

Week 2 : Chapter 1

Ice Breaker:

Prime the Pump:

Chapter 1 Video

Discussion/Prayer

1. When you are gathered with a group of believers, have you experienced the exhilaration of thinking biblically about everyday topics? How does the idea of developing biblical thinking interest you?

Question 1: Read pg20/L52

2. If you were completely honest, would you say you are more bored or exhilarated with your life as a Christian?

Question 2: Read pg 22/L76

3. How does reflecting and meditating on the greatness of God help us love God?

Read Psalm 19:1-4

Read pg 27/L118-122; Read Tozer’s quote pg 28/L129-132

4. How does the way we view God affect our love for Him?

Read God’s Attributes pg 28-33/L132-172

5. If we become more familiar with God’s character, how would that help our spiritual amnesia and our day to day conversations with other believers?

Just Stop and Think Video

Challenge Activity

Read and Meditate on Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4 every day this week. Share your reflection on who God is next week in your discussion group.

Announcements:

Volunteer positions (Ice Breaker, Discussion leader, Prayer Recorder, Fellowship, Set up/prayer team)
Fellowship team announcement

Crazy Love: Introduction

2015-04-15T07:44:00.001-07:00

Week 1: Introduction

Ice-Breaker: (Fun activity/or question)

Your Name

What place would you go back to tomorrow
When was the last time you had to say I’m sorry to someone?

Prime the Pump(On the note card)

What do you think it means to be a Christian?
How do you think people grow in their relationship with God?
How do you know you are growing in your intimacy with God?

Video Clip

Discussion/Prayer(Break into small groups)

How do you hope to grow in your relationship with God through this study?
Is there a person(s) that you think/know would benefit from what you learn in this study?

Challenge/Activity

Have a discussion with someone about what they think it means to grow in their relationship with God. Share what you’ve learned in our discussion about the concept of a vibrant love relationship with God stemming from a greater knowledge of Him.

Volunteer Roles:

Ice Breaker: Plan and lead the group in a short fun activity or question

Whenever possible try to link icebreaker to topic of the day

Discussion Leader: Facilitate asking questions during breakout time and move the conversation through the questions.
Prayer Recorder: Record prayer requests from the week. Give the list to the group leader. Follow up with prayer requests next week.
Set-up/Prayer team: Come 15 minutes before 6pm to set up the T.V. and pray for the group and study.
Fellowship: Help coordinate going to dinner or an activity for the group to do in the week.

Luke 2:1-20: God revealed

2013-09-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

Storyteller: Tim Salomon

Key Points to Know

1. God reveals Himself

2. God wants us to have experience with Him

3. God wants us to tell others about what He’s both revealed and done

Key Passage(s)

Passage: Luke 2:1-20

Key Themes:

A census is taken in the Roman Empire
Joseph and Mary go to his home of birth to register for the census
Mary is pregnant and gives birth in Bethlehem
Mary’s firstborn son sleeps in a feeding trough because there is no rooms available
An angel appears to shepherds and tells them a Savior is born and how to find Him
A heavenly army appears and praises God
The shepherds find the Savior then glorify and praise God for everything they’d experienced

Reflective Discussion Questions:

What is something new you’ve learned from this story?
What do we learn about the shepherds in this story?
What do we learn about God in this story?
What do we learn about Mary in this story?
How did the shepherds react to the news from the angel?
What is the good news of the gospel?
How do do you hear or know the good news of the gospel?
What do you do with the gospel?
How does the gospel affect your relationship with God?
Why did the shepherds tell other people about what they’d seen and heard?
What was so amazing about what the shepherds experienced?
Do you have experiences with God?
What kind of things has revealed to you about Himself?
What kind of things has God done in your life?

Application

Individual Challenge

Tell someone about what God has revealed to you about Himself and what He’s doing in your life.

Community Vision

If everyone here told someone about what God is doing in their lives how would that change people’s perspective of who God is? How would people’s attitudes change towards God and Christians? How would our attitudes change about God and the church?

Matthew 3:1-4:11 Surrender leads to repentance

2013-09-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

Storyteller: Naomi Cummins

Key Points to Know

1. True Repentance results in life change

2. Jesus humbled Himself

3. Jesus submitted Himself to the guidance of the Holy Spirit

Key Passage(s)

Passage: Matthew 3:1-4:1-11

Key Themes:

John the tells people to repent because the kingdom of God is near

-like saying grab your guns the kingdom of North Korea is coming!

John is the person Isaiah said would prepare the way of the Lord
John is called the Baptizer because he would ceremonially wash/baptize them in the water after they’d confessed their sins
John warns the religious leaders to repent and live with humility before God
John says that a more powerful person will come after him that baptizes people with the Holy Spirit and fire
Jesus comes and John recognizes Him as the Messiah
Jesus is baptized and God declares that Jesus is His Son
THe Holy Spirit leads Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil
The devil tests Jesus with the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life
Jesus endures and perseveres through the temptation and the angels minister to Him as soon as the devil leaves

Reflective Discussion Questions:

What did you learn new in this story?
What do we learn about John in this story?
What do we learn about Jesus in this story?
What do we learn about God in this story?
Why does John warn the religious leaders not to presume in vs 9?
What is John saying in vs 10? How does this knowledge affect you?
What does it mean to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire?(Within the context of this passage) What is the fire John is talking about in vs 12?
Why doesn’t John want to baptize Jesus?
Why does Jesus say He must be baptized? What does Jesus demonstrate in allowing John to baptize Him?
What does God say about Jesus in vs 17? How does Jesus relationship and example affect your relationship with God?
Why did Jesus go to the wilderness? Who led Jesus there? What does this tell us about our relationship with the Holy Spirit?
What do we learn about facing temptation from the example of Jesus?

Application

Individual Challenge

Commit to asking that God would show you how to submit to the Holy Spirit for one week and what He wants you to do

Community Vision

If everyone was submitted to the Holy Spirit how would we grow in our relationship with God? How would we grow in our relationships with each other? Where would the Spirit lead us to go? What would the Spirit lead us to do?

Luke 5: Jesus our Lord

2013-09-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

Storyteller: Deborah Lock

Key Points to Know

1. Jesus calls us to follow Him

2. Jesus has authority over all things(physical and spiritual)

3. Jesus tells us we need to change

Key Passage(s)

Passage: Luke 5

Key Themes:

Jesus calls out to a fisherman named Simon to let out his nets for a catch
Simon says he’s been fishing all night and hasn’t caught anything but he obeys
Simon’s obedience is rewarded with so great a catch that his boat and other begin to sink
Jesus calls Simon and his partners to leave everything and follow Him
A man with leprosy asks Jesus to heal him, Jesus heals him and tells him not to tell anyone
Jesus heals a paralyzed man by telling him his sins were forgiven
Jesus asserts that he is the Son of man and has the authority to forgive sins
Jesus calls Levi to follow him and goes to Levi’s house for dinner
The Pharisees question Jesus about associating with Levi, Jesus says he has come for sinners
Pharisees ask why Jesus’ disciples don’t fast and Jesus tells them that they must have a new way of thinking

Reflective Discussion Questions:

What did you learn new in this story?
What do we learn about Jesus in this story?
What do we learn about Simon in this story?
What do we learn about Levi in this story?
What do we learn about the Pharisees in this story?
Which of these characters do you identify with in the story?
Can you share a past experience of God calling you to follow Him?
What did it take for Simon to obey Jesus? (v5)
What was the result of Simon’s obedience?
After the miraculous catch of fish what was Simon and his partners response? (v11)
Why did Jesus tell the man with leprosy not to tell anyone Jesus healed him?(v14, 16)
Why was it such a big deal for Jesus to tell the paralyzed man his sins were forgiven? (v21, 24)
What does Jesus mean by what He says in v. 34-35?
How does having a relationship with Jesus affect how you live? Your attitude? How you think?

Application

Individual Challenge

Ask that God would reveal an area of your life that needs to change for you to follow him more obediently

Community Vision

How will our community change if we seek God more fervently and become more aligned to His will? How will this prepare our church for this new season of life? How will we become more ready and equipped to do what God intends for our church?

Exodus 11-14:31 Faithful God that saves

2013-09-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

Storyteller: Sam Camarena

Key Points to Know

1. God is in control

2. God saves those who place their faith in Him

Key Passage(s)

Passage: Exodus 11:4-14:31

Key Themes:

God tells Moses exactly what He will do and how Pharaoh will respond
Moses tells Pharaoh and the people what God has revealed and said
God tells Moses that He’s been in control of not letting Pharaoh release the Israelites so that God would be glorified in the plagues
God gives specific commands for the meal to be eaten before they leave
Unblemished Lamb, roasted by fire, eat all of it with bitter herbs, anything left gets burned
Blood from the lamb is to be smeared on the door posts
Lamb stays with the family 14 days and is part of the family
Anyone who doesn’t put the blood on the door posts will be struck down
God commands the people how to remember the Passover
No one apart from the people can eat the Passover Meal
No leaven/yeast to be eaten or will be cut off
All first born’s not covered in the blood die, Pharaoh releases the people
God’s word fulfilled when Hebrews plunder the Egyptians
God leads the people through the wilderness
God sends Pharaoh after the Hebrews so that God will be glorified
God commands Moses to stretch out his hand over the water and God parts the sea
God destroys the Egyptian Army, delivers the Hebrews and the people believe in God

Reflective Discussion Questions:

What does God tell Moses to say to Pharaoh? Why does God tell Moses that Pharaoh won’t let the people go?
What’s the purpose of Pharaoh’s heart being hardened?
Why does God want Israel to celebrate the Passover feast? What are some of the specifics of the feast?
What elements from the feast parallel things we’ve seen in the New Testament?
Were the Hebrew firstborns spared from death just for being Hebrew? What were the instructions to be spared from death?
What was required of the people to be spared? What did it take for the people to follow God's instructions?
How were the Hebrews spared from destruction at the hands of the Egyptians?

8. What gave Moses the confidence to obey God's instructions in the face of certain doom?(the instructions to part the Red Sea)

9. How is your confidence in God? Do you have the faith to obey even when things don't make sense?

10. What are some signs of God's power and faithfulness from your past?

11. Have you ever experienced the faithfulness and power of God in your life?

12. What opportunities has God given you to grow in your faith with Him?

13. What has kept you from trusting God in the past?

14. What will help you remember God is in control and that He is trustworthy? (i.e. this story =))

Application

Individual Challenge

How can you grow in your trust with God this week? What’s one opportunity God’s given you to step out in faith? What’s one thing you can do? (Commit your life to Jesus for the first time? Invite a friend to church or campus ministry this week? Share about what God has done in your life with a friend?)

Community Challenge

What would this place look like next week if everyone stepped out in faith and invited someone to come to church next week? What would happen if each of you shared your faith with someone this week?

Joshua 6-The Walls Came tumbling down

2013-09-03T19:18:00.000-07:00

Storyteller: Erik Pastor

Key Points to Know

1. God wants us to trust Him

2. God has trustworthy plans

3. Choosing to distrust God leads to destruction

Key Passage(s)

Passage: Joshua 6

Key Themes:

The people of Jericho are terrified because of what they've heard God do for the Israelites
God gives Joshua the battle plan for the city
God promises that He has given the city into Joshua’s hands
Joshua speaks for God and gives the people part of God’s plan
The people walk around the city of Jericho 6 days silently(w/ priests and ark leading the way)
The 7th day the people marched around the city and at Joshua’s signal began praising God
Joshua gives instructions to spare Rahab and her family
Joshua gives instructions about not looting and consecrating everything to God to give a tenth(tithe)
The city fell and everyone and every animal was put to the sword
Joshua puts a curse on the person that tries to rebuild Jericho
News of the victory of Jericho spread throughout Canaan and everyone knew the Lord was with Joshua

Reflective Discussion Questions:

How would the instructions God gave Joshua be a challenging thing to follow from a military perspective?
How difficult would it be for the people to follow the instructions Joshua gave? Do you ever struggle with the instructions God has you?
What is the significance of the people remaining silent till the 7th day? Why only shout during the 7th day?(shouting better translated as worship, a worship service)
Do you spend time listening and waiting for God? How do you do you listen? What is the difficult thing about waiting?
Why was Rahab spared? What makes Rahab’s act of harboring the Israelite spies so noteworthy? Do you face times of decision where you have the choice to make God a greater reality than your fear?
What were the instructions about looting the city? Why was it such a big deal to dedicate this city to the Lord? What was the warning issued for people that loot?
What’s so important about Joshua and the people knowing that the Lord is with them? Can you confidently say that you know the Lord is with you?

Application

Individual Challenge

Write out the fears and doubts you face that cause you forget the reality of God. Pray and trust that God has already give you victory over those things.

Community Challenge

What kind of impact can we have in the Spring semester if we took God at His Word? How many lives will be changed from our friends and family if we trusted God enough to make Him real in our lives?

Numbers 13-14: Joy to the Faithful, Despair to the Faithless

2013-08-31T19:04:00.000-07:00

Storyteller: Tim Salomon

Key Points to Know

1. God’s Word is always true

2. Faithlessness causes mourning

3. God rewards the faithful

Key Passage(s)

Passage: Numbers 13:1-14:41

Key Themes:

God commands Moses to send a leader from each tribe to spy out the land God promised to give Israel
God commands the men to assess the state of the land and to bring back fruit and produce from the land
The young leaders saw great produce in the land along with fortified cities and big people
The young leaders verify that the land God promised is good just as God said, “flowing with milk and honey”
10 of the spies give a bad report emphasizing the fortified cities and big people
Caleb urges the people to trust God’s Word and take the land
The people reject God’s promises and want to return to Egypt
Joshua and Caleb urge the people not to rebel against the Lord and to fear the Lord instead of the giants of Canaan
Moses quotes God’s Word on behalf of the people of Israel
God remembers His Word and spells out the consequences for faithless disobedience
God blesses and promises inheritance to Caleb and Joshua
The 10 faithless young leaders die of plague
Israel attempts to enter the land against God’s Word and w/out God

Reflective Discussion Questions:

What was the purpose of sending out the spies?

-to test and see if what God promised was true, Israel wanted proof (Deut 1:20-25)

What were the spies to report on and why?

-Assess the fruit of the land so Israel could begin harvesting and building immediately

-Know how to prepare for battle(fortified cities and how many people)

What did the spies find when they got to the land? What were some of the concerns the spies had that overshadowed the truth of God’s word and the fruitfulness of the land?
What are some of the things God has promised to His children? How do you know these are God’s promises? Where do you find it in God’s Word?
What prevents you from recognizing God’s faithfulness in your life? Obstacles or fears overshadow the hope and promise God wants you to hold to?
Who among the spies encouraged the people to trust God and claim the inheritance?
Do you identify more with the doubtful spies or Caleb and Joshua? Do you have people like Joshua and Caleb in your life? People that know God’s Word and will encourage you to walk by faith?
How do the people react to the bad report given by the 10 spies? How do you react to hardship or difficulty in your life? What is your attitude toward God? What do you say to Him?
Why does God refrain from striking down Israel?

-Moses quotes God, God lives up to who He has said He is

What are the consequences for Israel’s disobedience? Was God’s punishment for the 10 spies extreme? How did God reward the faithful? How have you missed out on God’s best for you because of disobedience? How have you seen God reward your faithfulness and obedience?
Why did Israel try to enter the land after God told them they couldn’t? Why did Israel fail to take the land? Have you ever tried to earn God’s love or bargain with God? Have you ever tried doing “Christian” things without God in your own strength?

Application

Individual Challenge

What would it take for you to let go of the fear and doubt you have in your relationship with God? Commit to praying that God become a greater reality in your life than your fear.

Community Challenge

What kind of impact will we have on our campus, with friends and with our family when we let go of fear and walk by faith?

Exodus 19-20: God's Commands for our good

2013-08-29T19:04:00.000-07:00

Storyteller: Katherine Bare

Key Points to Know

1. God is faithful to keep His Word

2. God’s people should behave in a way that glorifies God

3. God’s commands are guidelines to live life to the fullest

Key Passage(s)

Passage: Exodus 19:1-20:21

Key Themes:

God brings Israel to the place He promised Moses they would come to worship Him( Ex 3:12)
God speaks to the people through Moses, Moses speaks for the Lord(indirect)
God reminds the people of what He’s done and makes a new covenant w/the people of Israel
Israel is supposed to be a nation set apart from the rest of the nations to glorify God
The people must prepare themselves before entering the covenant w/God
Only Moses can come into the presence of the Lord, everyone else dies
God gives commands that help man live in full and right fellowship with God Himself
God gives commands that help man live in full and right fellowship with each other
The people respect God’s authority by fearing Him

Reflective Discussion Questions:

What was the covenant that God made with Moses and the Israelites? How is it the same as or different from the covenant God made with Abraham?
What do you think about God’s command that anyone who touched the mountain before the proper time should be killed? Why do you think such a harsh punishment was necessary?
Unlike the Israelites, we can approach God directly at any time. Why is it different now than it was back then? What does it mean to have access to such a holy God that merely approaching his presence without preparation meant death?
We said that the ten commandments are not merely rules, but principles for living correctly. Think about why each of the ten commandments is important for a good life and what the practical consequences for breaking them are.
What does it mean to fear the Lord? What does that look like in your own life?

Application

Individual Challenge

1. We learned that God is holy and his people are his representatives on earth. Think about what your behavior communicates about God to others.

2. Think about all the preparations the Israelites had to make just to be near God. How would your prayer life change if you made a point of preparing your heart beforehand?

Community Challenge

As a community we are called to be set apart from the world just like the Israelites. Our behavior should reflect kingdom goals rather than the worldly goals of success or pleasure. What kind of impact would we have if we were visibly different from everyone else?

Exodus 3: Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire

2013-08-27T19:02:00.000-07:00

Storyteller: Tim Salomon

Key Points to Know

1. God Calls us out of our ordinary circumstances to do the extraordinary

2. God equips us to fulfill His commands by giving us Himself.

3. God asks us to trust him

Key Passage(s)

Passage: Exodus 3

Key Themes:

1. Moses is doing his regular duty of shepherding his Father in Law’s flock

2. Moses sees a burning bush not being consumed, something out of the ordinary

3. God speaks to Moses from the bush

4. God commands Moses to remove his sandals because Moses is on holy ground

5. God identifies Himself as the God of Abraham

6. God tells Moses He knows what’s happening to his people

7. God tells Moses He is sending him to Egypt to free the Hebrews

8. Moses has doubts about his ability to be used by God for this task

9. God tells Moses He will be with Moses and that everything will go according to God’s plan

10. God will demonstrate his power in Egypt before the Hebrews are brought out of captivity

11. The Hebrews will plunder the Egyptians without a fight then go to the Promised Land

Reflective Discussion Questions:

What was Moses doing when God revealed Himself to Moses?
Do you expect God to reveal himself to you?
How has God revealed Himself to you?
How do you respond when God reveals Himself to you?
What did God command Moses to do when he came into God’s presence? Why did God tell Moses to take off his sandals?
What does verse 7-8 tells us about God’s character and nature?
What does God tell Moses to do in vs. 10?
What are some things God has told you to do? Who are some people God has placed in your life to lead out of “captivity?”
What is Moses’ response to God’s instruction? How does God answer Moses’ question?
What have you learned about your relationship with God from this story?

Application

Individual Challenge

Ask God to give you clarity about a lost person you can pray for and help lead out of captivity?

Community Challenge

Imagine what our church would look like if every person here was actively looking for people to lead out of captivity? How would our church impact our community? How could Tucson, AZ leave an imprint on the world?

A guide to fasting

2013-08-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

Things to talk about for fasting

What our church is doing

21 day fast that started on the 6th
Series on fasting “It’s not about the food”
Isaiah 58
To help our church refocus by listening to what God is saying

-fasting to eliminate distractions(T.V., certain types of music, certain activities, food)

-”Fast from the world, feast on the Word”

-Break the fast on the 27th. Special service to celebrate as a church family.

Some questions:

1. Have you ever fasted?

2. Why have you fasted in the past?

3. What kind of fast did you observe?(hard fast, daniel fast, partial fast, etc)

Play this video

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=9FFMBFNU

Biblical Definition

“a Christian’s voluntary abstinence from food for spiritual purposes.” (Donald S. Whitney)

“The voluntary denial of a normal function for the sake of intense spiritual activity.”(Richard Foster)

can’t be guilted, pressured, or forced to fast, something you willing choose to do
Self denial to intentionally create more time to be absorbed in spiritual activity
Bible only specifically references fasting from food not from things like music, tv, or iphones

“Fasting is a privledge not an obligation. It is the acceptance of a divine invitation to experience His grace in a special way. “ -Donald S. Whitney (Rom 14:22-23)

Types of fasts found in the bible

Normal fast: abstaining from all food but water(Matt 4:2, Luke 4:2) It says Jesus was hungry but not thirsty. Body doesn’t function properly without fluid after 3 days

Partial fast: limitation of the diet but not abstention from all food, eliminate some foods from your diet or eat smaller portions(Dan 1:12, Mat 3:4)

Absolute Fast: the avoidance of all food and water (Ezra 10:6, Esther 4:16, Acts 9:9)

Supernatural fast: only two instances mentioned in scripture where God intervened sustained the body despite the absence of food and drink(Deut 9:9, 1 Kings 19:8)

Private fast: As taught by Jesus in the sermon on the mount. Its a personal thing that you do to strengthen your relationship with God. Not something you advertise to let everyone know you’re fasting so you can gain favor with men.(Matt 6:16-18)

Congregational fast: A group of people devoting themselves to fasting for the purpose of being aligned and committed to the purposes and mind of God. Themes also associated with congregational fasts are repentance, forgiveness, blessing(Joel 2:15-16, Acts 13:2)

National fasts: To cry out to the Lord asking for his deliverance or intervention on behalf of the nation(2 Chronicles 20:3, Jonah 3:5-8, Neh 9:1)

Regular fast: A regular preset time to abstain from food for spiritual reasons(Lev 16:29-31, Zec 8:19)

Occasional fast: Done as the need arises or for special occasions as in the instance in Esther, 2 Chronicles, and Jonah.

Why do you fast?

Jesus tells and expects us to fast(Matthew 6:16, 9:14-15)

Ten Other Reasons/Purposes

To Strengthen Prayer: To bring urgency and focus to our praying. Reveals a heart attitude of resolve and an earnest desire to be heard by the Lord

To Seek God’s Guidance: To eliminate distraction from hearing and discerning the will of God. Demonstrates a heart attitude of impassioned yearning for like-mindedness with God. (Judges 20, Acts 14:23)

To express grief: An expression of mourning and loss over a loved one or sin. Also coupled with prayer demonstrating a need for mercy, forgiveness, or peace that can only be given by God.

To seek deliverance or protection: Most common fast practiced in scripture and often associated with repentance. (Ezra 8:21-23, Esther 4:16)

To Express Repentance and the Return to God: fasting for a change of mind the results in a change of action. The fast can signal a commitment to obedience. Fasting without repentance and a commitment to obedience=love is self-masochism (1 Sam 7:6, Joel 2:12)

To Humble Oneself Before God: Can be a form of expression for humility before the Lord (1 Kings 21:27-29, Ps 35:13)

To Express Concern for the Work of God: An expression of somber concern and burden for the mission of God. Displays a concern for the priorities of God before our personal priorities. (Neh 1:3-4, Dan 9-3)

Emphasize this fast

To Minister to the needs of others: Fasting for spiritual reasons means that the reasons why we fast affect every area of our lives. Fasting while rejecting the totality of God’s Word in the expression of our interpersonal relationships becomes worthless. Fasting to remember the needs of others and to help us remember to love others as Jesus did, sacrificially.(Isa 58)

To Overcome Temptation and Dedicate Yourself to God: This expresses a form of commitment and obedience=love to the Lord(Matt 4:1-11)

To Express Love and Worship to God: This form of fasting demonstrates a love for God more than a love for food and symbolizes an unhindered and relentless pursuit for deeper intimacy with the Lord. (Phil 3:19, Luk 2:37)

Play this video

http://vimeo.com/35269330

Fasting Resources

A call to fast for Humility and Power

Do you ever fast for more of God’s Power?

A Hunger for God by John Piper

Power through Prayer by E.M. Bounds

Talks on fasting

Spiritual Fasting by Paul Washer

Biblical fasting by David Cloud

Portraits: Paul-Total Sacrifice produces Total Transformation

2012-03-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

Portraits: Total Sacrifices Produces Transformation

Speaking Date: March 27th

Place: Refuge(Christian Challenge/BSU)

Series Title: Portraits

Message Title: Total Sacrifice Produces Total Transformation

Key Passages:

Philippians 3:4-11, Romans 12:1-2, James 4:1-3, James 1:13-15, 2 Corinthians 5:14-17

CIT: Total Sacrifice produces total transformation

SO: My hearers will understand that true transformation occurs when they wholly sacrifice themselves to Jesus.

Transition:

Please watch this video clip on the screen (cue video)

Prayer: Father God, I thank you for the opportunity we have tonight to gather together and worship. Please fill me with your Spirit and let me decrease as you increase. Father you know the hearts of everyone here. You know all the every care and concern we have. You also know how the pursuits of some of the things we want make us wretched creatures like the Beast. But Father, thank you that through the Total Sacrifice of your Son Jesus Christ we can be transformed and made new. Let your Spirit reign in this place and let Your Word transform our hearts and minds. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Good evening. We’re glad that you could join us tonight. I know it’s been awhile since our last Refuge so to refresh your memory or for those of you that are new; we’ve been going through a series this spring called “Portraits.”
We’ve been learning about God through His relationship with different characters in the bible.

Introduction

1. Tonight we will be looking at the life of Paul and exploring the idea of Total Sacrifice and the role it plays in our personal Transformation.

2. Sometimes the pursuits of things we want make us wretched beastly creatures.

3. But through the total sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we can be transformed from beasts into something new and beautiful.

4. We’re going to be examining several passages in the bible to see what God has to say about this subject.

I. We are wretched beastly creatures(ME)

a. Before we talk about Paul we first need to talk about this guy named Saul. The first time we’re introduced to Saul is in Acts 7. The scene we’re given is of a mob gathering to stone a devout follower of Jesus named Saul.

What the Bible Says: (EXP)

Acts 7:57-58

“yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.”

1. Saul condoned the murder of an innocent man

Acts 8:3

“Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.”

2. Saul hunted innocent people to bring them to prison

Acts 9:1-2

“Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, (that’s what Christians were called) whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.”

3. Saul wanted to murder followers of Jesus

Transition

a. So this picture we’re getting of Saul isn’t a good one. There seems to be this progressive decline of morality in Saul. But something you might ask is why or how Saul starts down this dark path. What would motivate him to hunt innocent people to imprison and kill them?

b. Well Saul was a devout Jew. We’re told in Philippians 3 that Saul was a Hebrew of Hebrews. He was a Pharisee and unqeualed in his religious zeal. In his own words Saul says that in regard to his religious fervor he persecuted the church. As for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

c. So Saul is doing all of these beastly acts because he wants to be a good Jew. He’s just doing what he needs to due to pursue his desires.

d. And don’t we do this too? We all have things we want that we think will make us happy.

What the Bible Means for you: (APP)

1. We are like Saul in pursuing what we think is best for us

2. We are like Saul in eliminating or destroying the things that will keep us from getting what we want.

· Lying to get people to like us more

· Lying to get a job

· Cheating on an exam

· Stealing by downloading media or music

Transition:

a. These things that we do to get what we want, do they make us beastly?

II. The pursuit of our pleasures cause conflict and discontent(ME)

What the Bible Says: (EXP)

James 4:1-3

“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.”

Transition:

Ouch! Does that passage describe us? Do we like Saul become so focused on getting what we want that we lose sight of how our behaviors and actions affect others?
The bible is saying:

1. The cause of our discontent and conflict in life come from our evil desires(v1)

2. Our selfish behaviors and actions hurt other people because we are blinded by the pursuit of our pleasure(v2-3)

What the Bible Means for you: (APP)

1. We disguise our evil desires in religious language

· A desire to be spiritually mature, trying to correct someone but doing it harshly or with the motive of asserting our spiritual maturity

· A desire to show how loving and attuned to the Spirit we are by gossiping to other Christians about faults we see in others under the guise of prayer

2. We pursue things that give us pleasure without thinking about how it affects others

· The pursuit of a relationship with a person of the opposite sex, feel affirmed and good about ourselves, but not interested

· Sex industry, selling of humans in Tucson

Transition:

a. These things that we want and we pursue a lot of the time it hurts other people but what does the pursuit of our pleasures do to us?

b. After all is said and done do we end up more content or happy after chasing what we want?

c. What happens when we give in to things that tempt us?

III. The pursuit of our evil desires leads to death(ME)

James 1:13-15

“No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone. 14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.”

What the Bible Says: (EXP)

God doesn’t lead us into evil(v13)

· “God is Tempting me”

The pursuit of our evil desires leads to sin(v14)

· The pursuit of the desire leads to sin not the desire itself

· Giving in and giving up

The pursuit of sin leads to death(v15)

What the Bible Means for you: (APP)

Don’t try to justify the indulgence of sinful behaviors/actions

· I have a sex drive and like girls/guys so its ok for me to have sex with them as long as they consent, it’s just sex

· When I blow up and go off on people it’s ok because God gave me an angry temperament

Take Responsibility for your actions

· Someone abusing alcohol or doing drugs because they grew up in an environment where substance abuse occurred

· Blaming your actions or attitudes on someone else. They made me get angry.

Transition:

So now we know that we all have evil desires and that if we give in or pursue these desires it leads to death
But what about times when we don’t know if the desire is good or bad? How do we discern whether or not our desires are evil?
I think the bible gives us the answer…

IV. Let God Transform the way you think(ME)

What the Bible says: (EXP)

Romans 12:1-2

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Sacrifice yourself to God(v1)

· Step one God is telling us that if we want to avoid being led to death by pursuing our evil desires , we need to sacrifice ourselves

· Total sacrifice

Let God transform you by changing the way you think(v2)

· The other thing we learn is that we’re to let God transform us by changing the way we think

· God changes us not us

Transition:

I want to come back to this idea of sacrifice. What does this mean for us to sacrifice ourselves?

What the Bible means for you: (APP)

Sacrifice every action, attitude and thought to God

· Sacrificing part of the chicken, give up everything not just our exams and boyfriends/girlfriends

· Giving a good gift

You must die to your old self to be transformed by God

-The best way I could think to illustrate this was by comparing caterpillars to butterflies. Caterpillars are fat disgusting grubs the kind of stuff that Timon and Pumba eat. They crawl on the ground and destroy plants, cause that’s what they eat. Their perspective of the world is all from the ground in dirt and nastiness. But then you compare the caterpillar with the butterfly, totally different perspective. For one, butterflies don’t eat. They drink. They don’t wiggle all over the ground they’ve got wings and can fly. Their perspective of the world is totally different from the caterpillar. They have a concept of the world that the caterpillar will never have. So compare nasty grub to beautiful floating creature.

· Caterpillar and Butterfly, different perspectives different creatures, butterflies come from caterpillars, God transforms caterpillars into butterflies

Transition;

Something we need to take into account is that the transformation process is irreversible. Once we surrender control of our lives to Jesus and lay ourselves up on the altar there is no going back.
Listen to what the bible says about this:

V. Once transformed you can’t go back(ME)

What the Bible says: (EXP)

2 Corinthians 5:14-17

“Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. 16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

Dying to self means Christ is in control of our lives(v14)
We should live for Christ because He died for us(v15)
When God transforms us we aren’t the same as before(16-17)

Transition:

I want us to pay attention to this idea of not being the same as we were before because I think that a lot of us think that being a follower of Jesus simply means changing some of our behaviors.
If we think about caterpillars and butterflies again, the caterpillar doesn’t become a butterfly by going on a diet finding itself a pair of wings. These external signs haven’t resulted in true deep transformation. Now all you got is fat worm with clip on wings.

What the Bible Means for you: (APP)

True Transformation only occurs through our whole-hearted surrender
We must allow Christ to change us from the inside out

· Caterpillar and Butterfly, Caterpillar dies, chrysalis(tomb), God Transforms, emerge from tomb as new creature, butterfly

Transition:

This stuff we’ve been talking about is hard, it’s not easy. We’re talking about dying to everything we know all of our hopes and our dreams. But listen to what Jesus says in:

Luke 9:23-24

“Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. “

If we want to be totally transformed we need to totally surrender our lives to Jesus. Because true transformation only comes when we wholly and totally sacrifice ourselves to Jesus.

Conclusion

At the beginning of all this we were talking about a guy named Saul. Well, fast forward to later in his life and find Saul a totally new person. He’s no longer Saul. Saul had an encounter with Jesus Christ and that day Saul laid himself on the altar and said Jesus you’re the boss of my life. That day Saul died. The person who emerged after that encounter with Jesus, his name was Paul. Paul went on to become one of the most prominent apostolic figures in the early church giving birth to churches all throughout Asia and Europe. He went on to compose several letters of instruction and encouragement to the people Saul had once persecuted.
As we come to a close I want to leave you with some words from Paul found in Philippians 3:7-11. Some things Paul says about sacrificing himself to Jesus Christ. (from memory)
“But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Directions for Response:

As the band comes up for our time of response everyone bow your heads and close your eyes. We’ve gone through a whole lot of material tonight but if none of what we’ve heard makes a difference in how we live then we’ve missed the point. (Start Fill Me Up, background)
Tonight you may have been listening and realized you’ve been a caterpillar trying to make yourself look like a butterfly. If that’s you tonight would you raise your hand?
Some of you may have been convicted of some desires or behaviors you didn’t use to think were evil, but know now that those things are leading you toward a path of death. If that’s you would you raise your hand?
As we sing this song together make this your prayer, make this your response to God’s leading in your life.

Lyrics

You provide the fire
I'll provide the sacrifice
You provide the Spirit
And I will open up inside

Fill me up God
Fill me up God
Fill me up God
Fill me up

Love of God
Overflow
Permeate
All my soul

Tired...

2012-03-23T13:36:00.001-07:00

Hello again!

Last time I said that I said I was going to be taking a break to refocus myself and while I may have gained some new perspective for my life I'm exhausted.

I've been battling all week long and I'm kind of tired. I feel like I haven't had a spiritual breather. Part of me knows its because I'm preaching this coming Tuesday and its something I should expect. The more I preach the more I find I really need to keep my guard up and fight back against temptations that are pitfalls in my life.

I haven't felt the pressure to succumb to my sinful desires this strongly in awhile. Things slacked of a little Thursday night but I know I still need to stay on guard.

This Tuesday I'm talking about "Total Sacrifice producing Total Transformation." I'm bring our students through the life of Paul focusing on Romans 12:1-2 and Philippians 3:4-11.

Please pray for me as I prepare and also for the students at Christian Challenge as I challenge us to examine ourselves and wholly surrender our will to Jesus.

Taking a break

2012-03-14T19:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't done a very good job updating the blog and putting up new content. I've been a little backed up on work and other responsibilities. But...

This week is Spring Break for both our students and me! So I hope to be able to catch up and get back on track with some of my goals for this year such as publishing to this blog regularly.

REST

One of the things I emphasized before the break with the students is the need to rest or cease. When we find teachings in the bible that talk about rest the word most often used in the original languages translates as cease.

So that's what I'm trying to do this week. I'm trying to stop doing all the things I normally do and take time to reflect on what God has done in my life this past semester. Open myself up to examination so I know what areas of life I've been lacking in or need to improve. Also what areas I should remain steadfast in. To persevere in doing good. And above all to refocus. To really ask God to show me where I might have gotten off track and how I need to adjust course to get back toward the place God wants me to be spending my time, energy, and gifts.

So I will not be putting anything up on the blog for a couple of weeks to allow myself to focus on realigning myself with what God wants me to do and to catch up on fulfilling all of my obligations in the Army, School, and Christian Challenge.

So that's me...but what about you? Since we're already here...

You may not have Spring Break or a vacation coming up soon, but do you have times set in your week or day to cease?

Reflective Questions:
1. What are the everyday work tasks that make up the bulk of your day? Week?
2. What thoughts or work weighs down on your mind?
3. What does ceasing look like in your life?
4. When can you cease from doing and thinking about all the stuff you think you need to do?

Journey in the Wilderness-Session 6

2012-03-10T19:00:00.000-07:00

Journey in the Wilderness

Journey in the Wilderness-Session 5

2012-03-02T19:00:00.000-07:00

Journey in the Wilderness

Lay Me Down

2012-02-28T19:00:00.000-07:00

"Lay Me Down"

by Chris Tomlin

Lyrics

I lay me down

I’m not my own

I belong to you alone

Lay me down

Hand on my heart

This much is true

There’s no life apart from you

Lay me down

Oh oh oh

Lay me down

Verse 1:

With this heart open wide

From the depths from the heights

I will bring a sacrifice

With these hands lifted high

Here my song here my cry

I will bring a sacrifice

Verse 2:

Letting go of my pride

Giving up all my rights

Take this life and let it shine

Bridge:

It will be my joy to say

Your will, Your way

It will be my joy to say

Your will, Your way

Always

Recently I've really been struggling to get through the lyrics of the song, because what laying down looks like for me and saying is facing my inability and sin, my shortcomings and weaknesses. I'm finding it difficult to comprehend that despite my failures, even recent ones, that God still loves me and wants to use me.

It's easy in my self righteousness take myself out of the game as a type of self imposed disqualification to deal with my guilt or shame. However, I must remember is that God has already dealt with my guilt and shame. Jesus Christ took it away from me by taking it upon Himself.

I must remember that all the opportunities for ministry and the "stuff" I'm doing are only possible because of the transforming work Christ has done in my life.

I also have to be confident that God's transforming work in my life isn't over. It's still going on, but requires that I give up complete control of my life to Him (Phil 1:6, Gal 2:19-20). I have to lay myself down and so that Christ lives not me( Phil 3:7-10).

I want to be able to say honestly that God's will and His way are my joy, but I know that this will only happen in laying myself down before Jesus.

Reflection Questions:

1. What things do you need to lay down so that God continues to transform you?

2. What does surrender look like in your life?

3. Are you giving Christ control of your life or are you the one in the driver's seat?

JITW Session 4

2012-02-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

Journey in the Wilderness

Fear of Failure

2012-02-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

One of the biggest obstacles I face in life is fear of failure. I want things to be just right so that things are done in the best possible way. Unfortunately, no amount of planning and precautions will eliminate the risk of things not going exactly to plan. Life happens and things change. At times when I am waiting for the right opportunity to do or say something the opportunity slips through my fingers because of the fear of failure. There won't ever be the exact right time where all things in the universe are aligned so that things go perfectly.

Most often I experience failure before I even set out to do or say what I want. I give up fighting before the fighting has begins! I give into the anxiety and fears of the unknown. Honestly trusting in myself is one of the hardest things I can do. Most people if they are honest with themselves will admit that trusting in themselves is something hard to do. We best know our own hopes and dreams. We also best know how we've tried to achieve those dreams and failed. We don't like failing, cause it hurts. When we are faced with our failures we are confronted by our limitations and inabilities.

So how do we overcome this fear? How do we push on through life without the fear of failure? Do we recklessly plunge into life ignorant of our limitations and the consequences of our actions? Do we live immobile paralyzed lifestyles held captive by our fears?

I submit we do neither. Rather than focusing on our ability or lack thereof we focus on the Sovereignty of a Holy and Righteous God.

God's word tells us a lot about His intents and purposes. God's plans never fail. His purposes are never thwarted. God, our heavenly Father is a good Father who knows what His children need and has good plans for His people. Rather than trusting in our limited ability and flawed judgement why don't we put our faith and trust for the decisions of our life in the One who's power knows no limits. In the one who is the author of all knowledge (Gen 18:14, Ps. 115:3, 135: 6, Isa 46:10, Dan 4:35, Luk 1:37)?

Reflective Scripture:

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them

Proverbs 19:21
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 16:1-3
The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.
Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.

If we place our trust in God submitting ourselves to His plans and His desires we never need to live in fear of failure because God never fails. His plans will always prosper and His purposes always accomplished. The key to peace with the outcome of all our decisions and the circumstances of life lie in knowing that we have submitted our lives to Jesus Christ. "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy(Col 1:16-18)."

DNOW Sierra Vista First Baptist

2012-02-21T15:41:00.003-07:00

This past weekend I had the incredible opportunity to work with college students as Christian Challenge hosted a Disciple Now weekend for Sierra Vista First Baptist Church. I am so incredibly blessed to work with these young men and women. God totally blew me away with what these college students were capable of. It's always a scary thing to hand over responsibility to someone else. In some ways I feel almost like a parent over the college students at Christian Challenge. God blesses me with the opportunity to live life with them and just watch as He transforms their lives.

This is the first time that Christian Challenge has ever hosted an event like this and given so much responsibility in terms of logistics, administration and planning to college students. As the staff person working with the students for this event I can only walk with them so far in going through the details of the event. Only so much I can do to try and prepare them for the actual event, but when the time comes all I can do is sit back pray and hope that these students will spread their wings and soar. So I'm so thankful that I had that chance this past weekend. The college students did a great job and I couldn't be happier or prouder of their decision to spend a weekend investing in junior high and high school students. I also couldn't be prouder in knowing that what they gave those kids was something good. They gave themselves and the experiences they've had with the living God. They shared how Jesus has revealed Himself through His Word and demonstrated His love for them.

That is something good. That testimony is an inspiration and encouragement to these youth kids to recklessly with all abandon continue to run the race of faith.

Journey in the Wilderness

2012-02-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

Journey in the Wilderness

Description: A semester long community group consisting of 11 ninety- minute sessions that will prepare prospective Ministry Team Leaders by equipping students with basic core skills for spiritual growth. The Community Group will challenge students to live out the core commandments of scripture expressed in the Christian Challenge Mission Statement. They will also begin the process of understanding their spiritual gifts and talents and how they fit into the Church Universal. Students who complete this training will be eligible to apply for the Ministry Team as Shadows.

Spring 2012 Schedule

1. January 25: Introduction- Character development and preparation in the Wilderness(Moses)
2. February 1	7. March 7
3. February 8	8. March 28
4. February 15	9. April 4
5. February 22	10. April 11
6. February 29	11. April 18

Course Objectives

Student

· Understand the centrality of the Greatest and Second Greatest commandment throughout scripture(Matt 22:37-39, Deut 6:5, Lev 19:18, Gen 1-2)

· Understand God’s redemptive purpose in history culminating in Jesus death, resurrection, and imminent return (Gen 3, Matt 28:18-20, Psalm 1, History of Israel)

· Understand the process of spiritual maturity(2 Peter 1, John 15, James 2:17-26)

· Learn how to Study the Bible(Thematic, Inductive, Devotional)

· Scripture Memory

· How to cultivate Spiritual Disciplines into their lifestyle(Readiness Guides)

· Learn how to accomplish qualitative goals by setting performance oriented/quantitative goals

· Learn how to prioritize tasks(Matt 6:33)

· Learn how to manage time to effectively maximize productivity

· Understand the mission of Christian Challenge(Mission Statement)

· Understand their role as a member of the body of Christ(Spiritual Gifts, Personality profile, Strengths finder)

Challenge Staff/Instructor:

· Equip future leaders with skills necessary for successful Christian Living

· Help future leaders develop spiritual disciplines

· Teach future leaders how to study scripture

· Help future leaders set goals

· Teach future leaders time management skills

· Communicate the mission of Christian Challenge

· Identify leadership potential

· Identify students that are Faithful, Available, and Teachable

· Identify growing edges for future leaders

· Teach future leaders how to apply biblical principles to their lives

Course Requirements

Stipulations

1. Student must regularly attend Refuge nights; if not able to attend, communicate the reason to the course instructor in a timely manner

2. This group doesn't take the place of a community group. The student still needs to be in a community group.

3. Student completes individual and group assignments on time

4. Student regularly attends a local church

5. Student must not be on academic probation (maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA)

Course Layout

Session 1: Introduction

· The Character of a Leader(Deut 17:14-20)

· Character Development and Preparation in the Wilderness.

· Life of Moses (Exodus 2:11-4:31)

· Life of Jesus (Mark 1:12, Matthew 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-20)

· Life of Joshua (Moses preparing and training Joshua, expanded in Taking the Land)

Session 2: Love the Lord Your God

· Relationship w/God

· How God speaks/ Listening to God

· Relationship with God influences all other relationships

Process of Behavior

a. Thoughts

b. Attitudes/Emotions

c. Behavior

Thematic Bible Study

a. What does it say(observe)

b. What does it mean(interpret)

c. How do I apply this to my life(apply)

-Revelation about God

-Revelation about self

-Application to community

· Matthew 22:37-38

Session 3: Love your Neighbor as Yourself

· Relationship w/Others

· Introduce Reflect portions of Readiness Guides

· Meant to be in relationship

Session 4: Spiritual Maturity is a Process

· Great Commission

-called to be disciples

-Jesus as primary disciple-maker

-life on life: relationships

-must be made a disciple to make disciples

· Thematic study through 2 Peter 1

-salvation & growth only possible because of and through Christ

-process of spiritual maturity vs. 5-7

· Life Roles

· Goal Setting

-qualitative goals

Session 5: Living on Point

· Performance oriented goals/Quantitative Goals

· Scripture memory

-meditating on scripture

-thought blocks

-topical memory system

· Setting Priorities

-how to assign weight to activities and tasks

-understanding time sensitivity

Session 6: The Habit of Reflection

· Inductive Bible Study through John 15

-remain in Christ

-Centrality of relationship with Christ in all areas of life

· Time Management(Readiness Guide)

-Comparing scheduled tasks with Life/Ministry Roles

-Eliminating tasks/activities that don’t contribute to the Life/Ministry Roles

Session 7: Staying Centered

· Life Centering practices

-habits of reflection

-habits of rest

Session 8: Discover Who God made you

· Spiritual Gifts

· Personality Profile

· Life History Reflection

· Biblical Purpose Statement

· Devotional Method

-Psalm 119:73-80

Session 9: Where you fit in the Body of Christ

· The heart of a servant

-Servant leadership like Jesus

-how to discover where your talents and passions mesh with your gifts

· The need for Accountability

· Passive Accountability Measures

· Active Accountability Measures

Session 10: Duty Station: Mission your community

· Mission of Christian Challenge

-know and memorize the mission statement

· Ministry Teams

-Small groups

-Refuge

-Global Impact

· Commitment to the Team

-learning how to be a team player

-standard to be on the team

-Faithful, Available, Teachable

Session 11: The Great Commission

· How will you use your gifts?

· What are your passions?

· Who are you going to disciple?

· Who is discipling you?

· What are your pitfalls?

· Who can be an active accountability partner in your life?

· What are passive accountability measures in your life?

· Matthew 28:18-20(Jesus), Deuteronomy 34:9 (Joshua), 2 Kings 2:1-14(Elisha)

One thing remains...

2012-02-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

play now

Valentines day...snuck up on me but I figured I might as well try to write about something related to Valentines day.

Despite the dubious origins of Valentines day and cultish practices that have accompanied this holiday throughout the ages, in our present time Valentines day is supposed to be a celebration of love. This is supposed to be a time where we let people whom we love know that we love them. Rather than getting on my soap box about the commercialization of this day and culture's totally wrong definition of love...lets just go to scripture to see somethings that what God has to say about love.

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love

This often quoted passage reveals so much more than what our culture thinks. At the end of the passage it closes with "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

This is possibly one of the richest and most undervalued passages of scripture simply because it is so often taken out of the context of the passages preceding and following it. It's also misunderstood because often we fail to understand the value of the message of this passage in light of the totality of scripture. This truth is shown here:

1 John 4:9-11

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

The only reason why we have faith and hope is because of God's love for us. Our faith and hope are found in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2). Our acts of love are acts of obedience to Jesus Christ because of the love that He demonstrated first for us.

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We demonstrate our love for God in response to His love for us by obeying Him (Jn 14:15,21). This love is a great love that doesn't just stay between us and God. The love God has for us calls us to demonstrate our love for Him by loving everyone He loves. In our own strength and ability this is impossible, however by placing our faith and hope in Jesus Christ by His love we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus in his sacrificial love for others.

So how does all this connect to the song that you played at the beginning of all this?

The love of Jesus never fails. When everything in our life seems uncertain and we feel abandoned, let down, or hurt let us remember that Jesus loves us. Let us return to our first love, He who loved us. He who began a great work in us (Phil 1:6). Let us place our faith in the one who deserves our full trust. Let us hope in the One who has the power over life and death over our body and soul (Matt 10:28). Jesus Christ, our Savior, King, Redeemer the lover and keeper of our souls.

Further Reading

Psalm 18

2 Peter 1:1-11

John 14:15-31

John 1: 1-18

Colossians 1:15-23

JITW Session 3

2012-02-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the lecture/discussion from session 3

Journey in the Wilderness

JITW- Session 2

2012-02-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

This is the lecture from the second session of Journey in the Wilderness, a leadership development course being developed at Christian Challenge.

Journey in the Wilderness