Week 2

Week 2

This week I want to start with a simple exercise. List Ten things below that define you:

They can be titles (daughter, wife, mother, friend, etc.), hobbies (photography, crafting, pinteresting, etc.) or interests (television, reading, facebook, etc).

1.

                                   

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Now if you could do anything without thought of duty, cost, or situation what would it be?

List as many things as you would like.

  

These are a couple of exercises that I had to do myself a few months ago when the verses for this week so clearly interrupted my way of doing life.

I am a friend, daughter, wife, and mother who loves to write, cook, craft, and watch television. I’m addicted to my iphone, and I check facebook at every phone buzz. If I could do anything I’d travel the world and learn the history of places and their significance in time.

That is how I defined myself and my desires in those two exercises. I didn’t take the time to think about my answers; I just shot from the hip. I wanted to be honest with myself and try not to give churchy answers.

Now, none of these things in and of themselves are bad, but they certainly aren’t the point. Everything I wrote was all ME centered. Nowhere did I mention being a follower of Chirst, doing mission work, feeding the poor, or taking care of orphans. Nowhere did I put to surrender to the call of Christ on my life, share the Gospel, or love others selflessly and unconditionally. It is all me centered. When I view my life and how I define it, and what my dreams are, my first inclination is to do it through the lens of ME, MINE, I WANT, and I DESERVE.

As we study this next passage let us pray that our lives would be defined through the lens of Christ’s calling and will for our lives. Let us be transparent before Him, taking time each day to not only pray but to put away anything that may distract. Also, ask that the Lord to guard your time with Him. Satan loves to keep us distracted just enough to miss it, to miss Christ and His desire for us.

Luke 9:23-27 (ESV)

²³ And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴ For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. ²⁵ For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? ²⁶ For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. ²⁷ But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

 Day 1:  Initial Read/Context

              - What stands out to you at first glance in this passage?

  

               - Who is this passage written to, what was going on before, during and after, and what is

                 being said and thought?

  

 Day2:  Truths

               -What does this passage teach me about the author?

  

                -What does this passage teach me about God?

                 -What can I learn about who I am in Christ?

 Day 3:  Promises

               -What promises are being given in this passage?

  

 Day 4:  Commands

               -What commands am I being given?

 Day 5;  Apply

              -How can I specifically apply what I have learned from this passage to how I am living

               today?

                -What is God revealing to me about Himself?

  

  

            -What is God revealing to me about myself and who I am in Him?

  

This week has been a challenge for me. Deny, take up my cross, and follow, as we saw in this passage, is not easy and certainly doesn’t come naturally. However, if we truly desire MORE we need to realize that this is the cost. There is a subconscious and often times a conscious exchange going on in our everyday lives; a battle of the will for our hearts and minds. We make decisions to pursue duty, hobbies, interests, dreams, etc. first, and make Christ secondary or last. Honestly, we may not even give Him a thought during our day other than maybe praying at meal time or bed time. I’ll be the first to admit that this happens regularly in my life. Why do you think that we are so hungry, so unfulfilled, and so desperate for MORE? We need to wake up to the fact that the More we are so desperate for is Him and NOTHING is going to fill that space. How heartbreaking it would be to get to the end of our lives having busied ourselves in some of the most spiritual church endeavors and completely missed the point. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to get to the end of my life feeling like it was all for nothing. Yes, we need to be serving but not out of vein pursuit of fulfillment but because we have looked intently into the face of Christ, been changed by Him, and want others to experience the same, to know Christ and be known by Him.

The question is this, are you willing to abandon your wants and wishes…your hopes and dreams in pursuit of Him?

 Do you believe that He has something far greater in store for you than anything you could ever dream?

Will we believe that He is who He says He is, and surrender to His call on our lives no matter the price?

 I’ll be honest that thought scares me to death, but God is Faithful. Will you be obedient?