The Seek God Challenge Day 31

January 31, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

HOLD ON TO GOD

READ

“22 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had.24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.26 Then he said, "Let me go, for the day has broken." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."27 And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob."28 Then he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed."29 Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him.30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered."31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip on the sinew of the thigh.”

– Genesis 32:22-32

THINK

While there is lots to be learned through this passage the concept we want to look at is in verse 26. Jacob despite being in pain and clearly going from a position of strength to brokenness refuses to let go. What is Jacob’s reason for refusing to let go? Why do you think the blessing was so important to Jacob?

Look again at verses 25-28. In what ways was Jacob changed in these verses? Which one made the greatest impact on his future? Why?

What are you holding onto God for? Who are you holding onto God 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.

Cry out to God for the things/people that you are refusing to give up on.

Thank the Lord that He changes you from death to life and from darkness into light. Ask Him to help you be a light in the darkness to your generation

DO

We are seeking the Lord through prayer and fasting starting tonight at dinner (skip dinner), and finishing tomorrow at dinner (skip breakfast & lunch, then eat dinner).

Download the guide here

Filed Under: Seek God Challenge Tagged With: Book of Genesis, God, Israel, Israelites, Jacob, matt rothacher, Old Testament, Penuel, Seek God Challenge, Zarqa River

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 6

January 6, 2012 by Jules 2 Comments

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PURSUE HIM RELENTLESSLY

READ

1 David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand.2 And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale-judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim.3 And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, 4 with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark.

5 And David and all the house of Israel were making merry before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.6 And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled.7 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God.8 And David was angry because the Lord had burst forth against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah, to this day.9 And David was afraid of the Lord that day, and he said, "How can the ark of the Lord come to me?"10 So David was not willing to take the ark of the Lord into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite.11 And the ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

12 And it was told King David, "The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing.13 And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal.14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod.15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.

THINK

In this passage we see David’s quest to bring the Ark of the Lord to his city, when the first attempt failed he could have easily given up, but instead he waited and went back again. Have you ever tried to seek God and just felt silly? What usually happens after this kind of experience? If we are determined to be near to God what should we do then instead?

God wants to dwell with us, commune with us and lead us to walk in His ways as David did. Often times we have to be persistent in our pursuit of God, He is not someone who is simply there for us to meet with when we feel like it and will sit and wait there for us to care enough to seek Him. He is the Almighty God who is worthy of our worship and praise always. What are the barriers you’ve faced in seeking God, in the past? The last week?

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.

David often used phrases similar to, “like a deer pants for water, so my soul thirsts for you O God” to describe his desperate desire for God

Ask God to begin to show you your need for Him, and that in response your desire for Him will continue to deepen.

Ask God to change your heart from impatience and self-centered to grateful and God-centered.

DO

When the prophet Samuel was first in the temple as a boy the Lord spoke to him and Samuel didn’t realize it was God. Finally at the urging of his mentor Eli, Samuel simply said, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening”

Block out a fifteen minute space (look back at your list where you saw what things could be changed to make time for seeking God), and find a space you can be alone and uninterrupted to just be before the Lord. Take some worship music with you if you want or just be still before God Tell the Lord “Speak Lord, your servant is listening” and then listen.

Download the guide here

Filed Under: Seek God Challenge Tagged With: Ahio, bible, Challenge, Chase, David, Follow, God, Holiness, Holy, hunger, Israel, Josiah, Lord, love, Obed-Edom, Old Testament, OT, Passion, Passionate, passiont, Pursuit, Samuel, Seek, Uzzah

The Seek God Challenge Day 1

January 1, 2012 by Jules Leave a Comment

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SEEK HIM PERSONALLY, SEEK HIM CONTINUALLY

READ

“1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem.2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and walked in the ways of David his father; and he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet a boy, he began to seek the God of David his father,” -2 Chronicles 34:1-3a

THINK

Matt mentioned Josiah sought God both personally, and continually. What does seeking God look like in your life today? How should/could that be different?
Verse two tells us that Josiah “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord” and he “did not turn aside to the right hand or the left”. Why do you think that was?
Verse three actually answers our last question; “For in the eighth year of his reign…he began to seek…God” How do you think that seeking God caused him to do “what was right” and “not turn aside”?
Look for a second at John 5:19
“19 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” - John 5:19
We know that Jesus was fully man and yet was without sin, and I believe that he gives us the secret right here in John 5:19. Do you see it? What is it?
He was in constant communication with His Father. He didn’t choose any decision on His own. He didn’t take any job, trip, or activity without the Father’s direction. Like a life GPS it gave Jesus the exact, perfect will of God the Father. For us pressing into God is the only way to learn to hear the Father in every situation. If you have surrendered your life to Christ then He’s already equipped you to be victorious you just have to learn when and how to use what. How is your life GPS operating? When was the last time you turned it on and listened?

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 kind of passionate seeking God that changes your generation is hard, persistent, and it will bring about hardship. There will no doubt come some sort of distraction that will attempt to edge out your time seeking God over the next month, it’s the things that we place the most value on that we use our time doing.
Pray that you will have the discipline to stick with it for the whole 30 days.

As you seek God you will be drawn deeper into Him, and with that comes a greater love of His character and his love for you. In light of that we’ll quickly see sin in our lives and the decisions that put us there. Holiness is not easy. Opposition from the enemy is promised, as is persecution from the world. It’s here that we decide if it’s worth it.

Pray that you will release the boldness God has given you to be a city on a hill that cannot be hidden.