The Seek God Challenge Day 8

January 8, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

SEEK AND FIND

READ

9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.11 What father among you, if his son asks fort a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" - Luke 11:9-13

THINK

This passage is directly after Jesus gives the model prayer. We see that given to disciples at their request. Likewise Jesus is asking us here to do what?

Verses 11-13 give us a picture of what? What is God telling us that He desires to give us (verse 13)?

Jesus is essentially telling us here that when we seek Him we will find Him, when we ask he gives and when we knock He will answer. What are you seeking, asking, and knocking for?

PRAY

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

Jesus rewards us for our boldness in our prayers. His children that desire to know Him are seeking Him greater and greater.

Ask God that your heart may desire more of Him, that you will never be satisfied with Him, and that you will always desire to know Him more.

Pray that you will be diligent to seek God boldly as you learn what it means to really ask, seek, and knock

DO

Take a few moments and sit down and think about what would you do for God if you could not fail, write that down and put it somewhere you won’t lose it.

Download the guide here

Filed Under: Seek God Challenge Tagged With: Challenge, Chase, Christ, Christianity, Father God, God, Holiness, HolySpirit, Jesus, Josiah, love, Luke, Passion, Passionate, prayer, purity, Pursuit, Seek

The Seek God Challenge Day 7

January 7, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

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HE WANTS TO BE SOUGHT!

READ

“22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 'To the unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man,25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,” –Acts 17:22-27

THINK

Paul witness’s to the brightest minds of Athens in this passage and begins by bringing attention to that fact that they are “very religious”, although we could view that as a good thing Paul is in fact alluding to the point that while these men are religious they do not know God. Do you think that’s true today? What about in your own life? Are there places where religion has taken the place of knowing God?

In Paul’s presentation of the gospel we see Him say starting in verse 26, “he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth…that they should seek God,” God designed it for us to seek Him. That we should “feel (our) their way toward him and find Him” (our is added). This means that the Lord of the universe desires to be sought by you. How does this change our perception of God? Does it make it easier to seek God knowing that He wants you to seek Him?

PRAY

Ask God today to show you that He desires you to know Him. That he wants to be found by you.

Thank God today for being a God that has sought out a relationship with you and desires to go deeply and intimately with you.

DO

As you go throughout your day, look at your surroundings with a new perspective. Look for the ways that God is showing Himself to you enticing you to come and know Him more.

Download the guide here

Filed Under: Seek God Challenge Tagged With: Acts, Acts of the Apostles, Areopagus, Athens, Challenge, God, Holiness, Holy, Jesus, New Testament, NT, Old Testament, OT, Paul, purity, Religion, Seek, sought, Unknown God

The Seek God Challenge Day 5

January 5, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

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SEEK HIM WHEN IT'S DIFFICULT

READ

1 Now they told David, "Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors."2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" And the Lord said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah."3 But David's men said to him, "Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?"4 Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, "Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand."5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

Psalm 27

The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation

Of David.

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;

whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assail me

to eat up my flesh,

my adversaries and foes,

it is they who stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me,

my heart shall not fear;

though war arise against me,

yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,

that will I seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord

and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter

in the day of trouble;

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;

he will lift me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up

above my enemies all around me,

and I will offer in his tent

sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;

be gracious to me and answer me!

8 You have said, "Seek my face."

My heart says to you,

"Your face, Lord, do I seek."t

9 Hide not your face from me.

Turn not your servant away in anger,

O you who have been my help.

Cast me not off; forsake me not,

O God of my salvation!

10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,

but the Lord will take me in.

11 Teach me your way, O Lord,

and lead me on a level path

because of my enemies.

12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;

for false witnesses have risen against me,

and they breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living!

14 Wait for the Lord;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

wait for the Lord!

THINK

When things get busy, or difficult in our world our first instinct unfortunately is to stop spending time seeking God. I don’t think its intentional always but there’s so many things that have to get done that we drop what seems to cause the least damage. How does that contrast with David’s attitude in the text?

What do you feel is the most remarkable about David’s attitude in this instance?

Psalm 27 gives us an even better picture of the heart of David as he endured hardship and yet constantly sought and relied on God. He had been anointed king some time before and in the midst of being pursued by the current most powerful man in the nation did not give up on God, but rather pressed into Him even deeper. Why do you think that is? What difficult thing is happening in your own life right now?

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.

Remember the quote Matt read : “There is no simple and easy way to know God personally. You need pain, suffering, struggles, and pressure to know and trust Him fully. “ This is not an easy thing to process, the thought that difficult situations are often times divinely designed to push us closer to God is not one that we like to dwell on.

Ask God today to use whatever situation that is difficult in your life today to draw you closer to Him

Pray that you will have the discipline that time seeking God will be the priority rather than an afterthought

DO

Read through Psalm 27 again and this time write down the things that David asks God for; ie. “Hear O Lord; Give me not up the will of my adversaries, etc.” Then pick one that best speaks to your life today.

Download the guide here

Filed Under: Seek God Challenge Tagged With: Challenge, Chase, David, God, Holiness, Jesus, Keilah, Lord, love, O Lord, Passionate, Philistine, Pursuit, Salvation, Seek, The Lord Is My Light

The Seek God Challenge Day 4

January 4, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

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Desire is NOT Passion

READ

“29 And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,’ says the Lord GOD.” Ezekiel 39:29

17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

THINK

For most of us the concept of seeking God’s face is awkward. Most of us don’t really have a clear picture of what that means. What is the most difficult part for you of the concept of seeking God’s face?

The concept of seeking God’s face is to know God’s person. To be intimate, to look into His eyes and be near Him. What are some ways that you can seek His face? No Sunday School answers allowed, ie. Pray, read His Bible etc. Be creative.

In order to be transformed into the glory of God requires first off knowing Jesus as your Savior, if you have never made Jesus Lord of your life stop right now and give Him your whole person. If you need assistance call Matt at 870-692-8855 he will be happy to walk you through that!

For those who have the Holy Spirit of Christ living in you, what is keeping you from reflecting the glory of Christ to those around you?

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.

Seeing Jesus face to face has an effect on us. His presence does something to you.

Pray that your seeking will be after His face and not His hand, that you will desire Him for Him and not for what He gives.

Ask God to increase your desire to know Him in way that is passionate and real.

DO

Find a picture (online or in print) that represents the face of God to you (it can be whatever reminds of that) then save it as the background on your phone or hang it somewhere you’ll see it often (in your locker or the dashboard of your car) when you see it simply tell God that you want to see His face.

Down the guide here

Filed Under: Seek God Challenge Tagged With: bible, Burning, bush, Christ, Christianity, Egypt, Follow, God, Holiness, Holy, HolySpirit, Israel, Jesus, Lord, Passion, Pursue, Pursuit, Religion & Spirituality, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, Seek, Sunday School

The Seek God Challenge Day 2

January 2, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

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PURSUE GOD WITH PASSION

READ

Philippians 3:7-11

“7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, 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 int Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.”

THINK

How is just “accepting Christ” different from the passion pursuit that Paul talks about here?

Paul says that, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” which means that in comparison to knowing Jesus everything this world has to offer is insignificant. How is our worldly view of life and accomplishments different from this perspective? How would this type of perspective change how you go about your day?

Paul says “and “so somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead” other translations have “by any means" he's telling us that the difficult things (ie. Persecution, being unpopular, even death) will be worth it, in light of the goal of sharing knowing Christ deeply and sharing in His resurrection. How is that contrary to our American Christianity and the thought that only church attendance and “good living” is required for Christians? Does the thought of giving everything up to chase God scare you or excite you? Why?

The Greek word for garbage or rubbish had one of two uses: excrement from the body, or table scraps that were fit only to be thrown to the dogs. So saying that “I consider them (his abilities/accomplishments) garbage” is strong wording. Literally, Paul considers them as excrement - as dung; not only worthless, but offensive. In order to have this type of distaste for the world you must be passionately seeking God. You have to have been close enough to see Him for the things of this word to look as garbage and be offensive to you because they stand in your way of knowing Him more. What is your image of God today? Do you hunger for Him or is He just some part of your life? How can that change?

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.

Has you separated faith in God from a passionate pursuit of God? Is He just part of your religion or Lord of your life? When we see the King we want to know Him deeper.

Pray that your heart will be ignited and begin to burn with passion for the King of kings

Are there things in your life that you are placing as more valuable than a pursuit of God? A good way to evaluate that is what is the majority of your time spent doing?

Pray that a passionate pursuit of God would become the main priority of your life

DO

Stop right now and grab something to write with and write down an honest assessment of what you're doing with your time. See what things jump out as obvious priorities, and which ones are causing you to seek God deeper.

Download the guide here