The Seek God Challenge Day 29

January 29, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

GOSPEL IS OUR ONLY HOPE

(ETERNITY IS FOREVER)

READ

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself."

-Philippians 3:20-21

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

-Revelation 20:11-15

THINK

The reason that the Gospel is the only hope for those that surround us is concluded in the fact that what we do with this truth effects peoples eternity. What should the knowledge of the Gospel lead us to concerning those around us?

How does the reality of heaven and hell effect you? Your family? Your friends?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.

Pray that you will be unashamed of the Gospel for the sake of those people in your life who don’t know Christ.

Pray that although the destination of eternity is pressing that your faith will be built on more than just going to heaven.

DO

Time again to jump out there, share the truth of the Gospel with one of the three friends you have been praying for.

Download the guide here

Filed Under: Seek God Challenge Tagged With: Book of Life, Christ, God, gospel, Great White Throne, Hades, Heaven, Jesus, matt rothacher, Seek God Challenge

The Seek God Challenge Day 28

January 28, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

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THE GOSPEL IS OUR ONLY HOPE

(THE IMPORTANCE OF FAITH)

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4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

-Ephesians 2:4-7

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person

is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

-Galatians 2:15-16

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

-Romans 5:1

Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

-1 John 2:4-6

THINK

So we’ve seen our condition before God (dead in our sin), and then we’ve seen God’s saving plan (Jesus death & resurrection), now we want to see how we move from death in sin to life in Christ. According to both Galatians 15-16, and Romans 5:1 how do we stand right before God?

As we mentioned early on in our study, too often we stop at what we believe is the point of salvation then we may miss Jesus altogether. 1 John 2:4-6 tells us that what must be present to say that we “know” God?

Why is doing what Jesus tells us to do an important part of faith?

Jesus’s actions on the cross and through the resurrection opens the door to us to move from death to life and if we will place our faith in Christ, repent from our sins, and walk in His ways we will be transformed, both in our eternal destination and on this earth.

So then the whole answer of how we enter from death to life is?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.

Pray that your faith will grow in such a way that you will walk in the ways of Jesus.

Pray that as we desire God we come to better understanding of the gospel and its role in your life.

DO

Take a minute and write out the gospel in a way that helps you clearly understand it.

Download the guide here

Filed Under: Seek God Challenge Tagged With: Christ, Christ Jesus, Epistle to the Galatians, Epistle to the Romans, First Epistle of John, Gentile, God, Jesus, matt rothacher, Seek God Challenge

The Seek God Challenge Day 26

January 26, 2012 by Jules 1 Comment

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THE GOSPEL IS OUR ONLY HOPE

(THE SIN PROBLEM)

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Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

-Romans 6:16-20

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.”

-John 8:34

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

-2 Corinthians 4:4

They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

-Ephesians 4:18

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned …

-Romans 5:12

THINK

In the first three chapters of the Bible we watch God create a perfect world where humans and God walk together in sweet fellowship and then in an instance humans disobey God and bring sin and death into the world. Our passages today help us better see why, as a result of this, it is huge in our understanding that the Gospel is our only hope.

The Bible tells us clearly in both Romans 6:16-20 and, from Jesus Himself, in John 8 that we are slaves in sin. What comes to mind when you hear the word slavery? Could slaves just choose freedom? Could they just will their way out of slavery? Seeing the comparison what does that tell us about our condition concerning sin?

Likewise it gets worse and we read on to see that we aren’t only slaves to our sin but in fact we are dead. (Romans 5:12)

What can dead men do about their condition? Fortunately God has not left us without a way out of death, think about in your life if you were physically dying, and someone you knew possessed the knowledge to restore you into life. Even better life than you experienced before you nearly died. How desperate would you be for that life? In the same way shouldn’t our knowledge of being born into slavery and death change how we reach out to this generation around us? Why is this most important?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.

Acknowledge your sin before the Lord today.

Confess your failures to God and dwell on the fact that alone we are helpless

DO

Take your list from a few days ago and contact another member in the same way you did the first name. Just let them know that you are praying for them. Then do it.

Download the guide here

Filed Under: Seek God Challenge Tagged With: bible, Christ, God, Jesus, Lord, matt rothacher, Religion and Spirituality, righteousness, Seek God Challenge, Slavery

The Seek God Challenge Day 24

January 24, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

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THE GOSPEL FOUNDATION

READ

“21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

-Romans 3:21-26

THINK

We see quickly in verse 23 that all human beings are what?

Verses 24 & 25 tell us that “redemption” and forgiveness of that sin come as a result of Who? And as a result of what?

We as humans can take hold of this forgiveness how?

And then in verse 26 it tells us that we can be justified or made acceptable by what?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray

Pray that we will clearly see that the truth and our spiritual, eternal condition will be made plain to us

Pray that we will begin to view those around us in light of the scriptures and see their need for Jesus

DO

Take your list from yesterday and write a note to one of the people on it letting them know that you are praying for them. It can be a text message, facebook message, handwritten note, etc. Then take a few more moments and pray that God will give you an opportunity to share the Gospel in there life.

Download the guide here

Filed Under: Seek God Challenge Tagged With: Christ, Christ Jesus, Christianity, Evangelism, God, Jesus, Law, matt rothacher, Religion and Spirituality, Seek God Challenge

The Seek God Challenge Day 22

January 22, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

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THE WORD MUST BE SHARED

READ

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” -2 Timothy 4:2

THINK

Paul’s final instruction to his apprentice Timothy is to “preach the word” what images come to your mind when you hear that phrase?

We often think that it is simply the job of paid staff at churches or other Christian ministries to preach the word however; the Bible calls us to share. What difficulties come as a result of sharing the word in your life?

What fears are there that keeps you from sharing God’s word with others?

PRAY

These thoughts and prayers are just a guide to get you started in your conversation with God. Think of them as conversation starters rather than a check list to quickly pray.

Pray that God will help erase the misconceptions about sharing His word

Pray that the Lord will create a Spirit of boldness which will lead you to sharing God’s word with others.