The Seek God Challenge Day 16

January 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

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WE ARE UNSTOPPABLE WITH THE

WORD OF GOD

READ

14 While they were bringing out the money that had been taken into the temple of the Lord, Hilkiah the priest found the Book of the Law of the Lord that had been given through Moses.15 Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, "I have found the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord." He gave it to Shaphan.

16 Then Shaphan took the book to the king and reported to him: "Your officials are doing everything that has been committed to them.17 They have paid out the money that was in the temple of the Lord and have entrusted it to the supervisors and workers."18 Then Shaphan the secretary informed the king, "Hilkiah the priest has given me a book." And Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king.

19 When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes.20 He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king's attendant:21 "Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord's anger that is poured out on us because those who have gone before us have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book."

-2 Chronicles 34:14-21

THINK

We see Josiah’s response to the reading of God’s word, why does he respond this way?

Different things in the Bible cause us to respond in different ways, what different things have you experienced as a result of the Word?

The Word should always require a response. Why do you think people either read the word and don’t respond or fail to even read the word? What about in your own life do you fall into one of those two categories(read & not respond or not even read)? Why or why not?

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 be like Josiah in that we will treat the word of the Lord as importantly as we should.

Pray that when we devote ourselves to the word that we won’t stop at simply reading but we will be moved to action in response to the word.

DO

Look at these two passages of scripture and look for the appropriate response;

Philippians 4:4

1 Thessalonians 5:18

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The Seek God Challenge Day 15

January 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment

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BE HOLY, SEE GOD

READ

“12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

                   -Hebrews 12:12-14

THINK

The author of Hebrews is encouraging us to get strong, and get right. He’s telling us that we have to get up and get going if we are to experience the holiness that is necessary to fully see God. What weaknesses do you need to overcome in your life that is keeping you from God’s holiness?

Holiness is easily discussed but is much more difficult to experience and walk in. In light of that truth, how does that make you feel knowing that without holiness “no one will see the Lord.”? What does this tell you about the commitment that God is after in your life? Is that more exciting or frustrating? Why?

 

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.

Romans 12:1-2 tells us; “1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” We see that holiness (being a living sacrifice and the renewing our minds) is a both a long term and daily process.

Pray that today God would begin the long term process of making you holy

Pray that today you will renew your mind and lay down your desires for His holiness that you might see the Lord.

 

DO

Write or print out a card that says “Today I will be holy, because I want to see God” stick it somewhere that you will see it each day.

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The Seek God Challenge Day 14

January 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

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IMITATE ME?


READ

“4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

-Philippians 4:4-9

 

THINK

We see Paul give us a guideline to have a holy mind in this passage. He tells us to “think about these things” or to meditate on them. Who is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable? Does dwelling on the things of God change your perspective? How so?

In verse 9 Paul makes what seems like a crazy statement, he says “what you have learned and received and heard in seen in me- practice these things”. He’s telling the Philippian church to watch how he lives and what he does and live like that, do that. We jump to the accusation of arrogance and or self-righteousness when we see statements like that, but Paul is living a life of integrity passionately pursuing God and so he can say in humility imitate me. If we want to see God use us to change our generation we will need to live with this kind of integrity. Where is your life at in comparison to being able to say “imitate me as I imitate Christ”?

What changes in your life need to happen to be able to say that?

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.

“Think about these things”  

Ask God to help you allow His peace to guard your hearts and minds

“What you have seen in me…do these things”

Pray that God will walk you into a life of integrity so that your life may reflect Christ to those you come in contact with.

DO

To begin to dwell on “whatever is true, whatever is honorable…” memorize verse eight over the next week.

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The Seek God Challenge Day 13

January 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

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PURITY IS NECESSARY FOR

TRUE WORSHIP

 

READ

“8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had cleansed the land and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God.9 They came to Hilkiah the high priest and gave him the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had collected from Manasseh and Ephraim and from all the remnant of Israel and from all Judah and Benjamin and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem.10 And they gave it to the workmen who were working in the house of the Lord. And the workmen who were working in the house of the Lord gave it for repairing and restoring the house.11 They gave it to the carpenters and the builders to buy quarried stone, and timber for binders and beams for the buildings that the kings of Judah had let go to ruin.12 And the men did the work faithfully. Over them were set Jahath and Obadiah the Levites, of the sons of Merari, and Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to have oversight. The Levites, all who were skillful with instruments of music,13 were over the burden-bearers and directed all who did work in every kind of service, and some of the Levites were scribes and officials and gatekeepers.”

-2 Chronicles 34:8-13

 

THINK

Matthew Henry points out that “Orders are given by the king for the repair of the temple, v. 8. When he had purged the house of the corruptions of it he began to fit it up for the services that were to be performed in it. Thus we must do by the spiritual temple of the heart, get it cleansed from the pollutions of sin, and then renewed, so as to be transformed into the image of God.” How will having a pure heart affect your worship?

Seeking God throughout the week will have a definite impact on your worship on Sundays/Wednesdays. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?

God moves in the churches/lives that are marked by repentance and holiness. This is because holiness matters to God. Knowing this truth, how should we seek to see God move in our life/church?

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.

These people were avid worshippers; they had just missed the point and began to worship other gods. Revival happens when the people inside the church get serious about their own purity

Pray that we will be more concerned about worshipping God with our lives all the time rather than just on Sundays.

Pray that we will be more concerned with worshipping God with our lives than the kind of music

DO

Taking the truth of revival starting in our churches rather than with people outside the world, take a look at how you worship in the church setting. What needs to change/stay the same?

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The Seek God Challenge Day 12

January 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

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FLEE SIN, CLING TO RIGHTEOUSNESS

READ

“1 Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, had bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there.2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.3 His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands.4 So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had.5 From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field.

6 So he left all that he had in Joseph's charge, and because of him he had no concern about anything but the food he ate.
Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 7 And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me."8 But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Behold, because of me my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my charge.9 He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?"10 And as she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or to be with her.

11 But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house,12 she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.13 And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house,14 she called to the men of her household and said to them, "See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.15 And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house."16 Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home,17 and she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me.18 But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house."

19 As soon as his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, "This is the way your servant treated me," his anger was kindled.20 And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined, and he was there in prison.21 But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison.22 And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it.23 The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph's charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.”

- Genesis 38:1-23

THINK

How much easier do you think it would have been for Joseph to just have slept with Potiphar’s wife? Couldn’t we make a case that it’s better to just do that which keeps you out of the most danger? Why instead do you think that Joseph fled the temptations?

2 Timothy 2:22 tells us to “flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” He is telling us here that it’s better to run than to try and stand strong in the face of temptation. When righteousness is your priority do you think it’s easier to humble yourself and run? Why or why not?

Look at the first six words of verse 21. In the midst of being punished for pursuing righteousness God was with Joseph. Does that comfort you? Encourage?

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.

The hard part of fleeing temptation is that we are drawn to the lure of sin. The answer to that is to be constantly focused on God and seeking His holiness.

Pray that God will keep you from sacrificing long term righteousness for immediate, short term, pleasure.

Ask God to transform you into picture of righteousness, one that reflects Christ and refuses to be sucked into sin.

DO

Take a look at your relationships (Friends, family, boyfriend/girlfriend), is there a difficulty standing up under temptation? Are they leading you towards holiness or keeping you from it? If they aren’t how can you flee that temptation? 

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