The Sixth Step on the Trail – Getting Others to Join You on the Hike

Facing our Fears

My heart was racing. I was pretty sure it was going to just rupture my chest cavity and escape my body, perhaps leaping off the cliff in front of me. It was the day and location I had chosen to “pop the question” to the girl I had fallen head over heels for. I had been totally certain about what her answer would be, right up to the moment when I was about to ask. I had made the preparations, practiced, and planned, but I had not counted on the terror that came just seconds before the moment of truth.

Happily, after more than twenty years together, I can report that my beloved said yes. We began an incredible journey together that day, one that has had its share of valleys and peaks. I can’t imagine traveling this trail without her. Hopefully she would say the same about me.

Inviting others on the Trail

The fear that I faced that day at the overlook can be very similar to the fear that comes when the opportunity to share your faith with someone presents itself. We think we know how the person will respond. We might prepare, practice, and plan beforehand. Then the moment arrives and a terror takes over and we find ourselves slinking off to hide instead of inviting them along.

The Importance of Inviting Others Along

Spend just a little time in a Bible preaching church and you will hear about the importance of something called evangelism. Evangelism is a pretty key part of who we are as followers of Jesus Christ. Here is what it’s all about:

Evangelism – from the Greek word “evangel” which means “Good News.” It is literally the telling of the good news contained in the story of Jesus Christ. The first four books of the New Testament are known as the Gospels and they are literally the evangelists of the New Testament because they tell the story of Jesus.

Great Commission – This is the command which appears in the four Gospels, and in the book of Acts, where Jesus tells His followers, and by connection you and me, to go and tell His story to the world. In your Bible look up the following Great Commission passages and high light them as you read them.

•  Matthew 28.18-20
• Mark 16.15
• Luke 24.45-48
• John 20.21-22
• Acts 1.8

Can you see the importance that Jesus placed on telling His story?

Inviting Fellow-Travelers Onto the Trail

Suppose you are hiking along and you encounter someone on the trial who has lost their way. Maybe the compass they have been using was dropped in a lake, or the map they were using accidentally burned up in the campfire last night. Whatever has happened, you find them in a time of desperation. Unsure of how to proceed, they may be wandering in circles, or on the verge of totally giving up. Here’s the awesome thing: YOU KNOW THE WAY! Would you be able to live with yourself if you simply walked on by and left them scrambling about without guidance? I don’t believe you could. Think about this passage of Scripture:

• Matthew 9:36-38 (NLT)
• He (Jesus) felt great pity for the crowds that came, because their problems were so great and they didn’t know where to go for help. They were like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send out more workers for his fields.”

Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw people in the state of confusion and lostness, and He would move you as well. He had His followers pray for workers to go out into the harvest, and there you are in the middle of it all.

How Can You Tell His Story and Invite Others Along?

Look back at the first step on the trail. You should have taken a moment to write down some brief elements of your story at the end of that lesson. Your life before you met Jesus. How you came to know you needed Jesus. What your life has been like since believing in Jesus. Telling what Jesus has meant in your life is a great way of getting the conversation started, and it’s something that you should know better than anyone else.

Some Common Fears

What if they ask me a question I can’t Answer?

No one has all the answers, so don’t be afraid. Simply and honestly respond that you do not know. You can also offer to pray and seek an answer for it. Amazingly, you will discover that God graciously provides us with answers.

What if they are not willing to talk with me about it?

For a long time I felt rejected when someone refused to let me share with them about the Lord. I would get shot down and feel like I had failed in some way to do or say the right thing. In the end, however, I had to realize that they were not rejecting me, but God. That gave me a different perspective on things, and greater compassion for the person turning away.

What if they threaten me or get angry?

Having someone reject is one thing, but facing someone who is angry or threatening is a whole different experience. This can be incredible challenging and frightening. I have never faced a time when I felt like my life was in danger, but I have dealt with people who threatened me with any number of responses. All we can really do is pray during these times. I take courage from the experience of the early evangelists in the book of Acts. Read Acts 4 in your Bible and see the response as they were threatened, paying close attention to their prayer.

Do you notice a common thread in these fears? They are all what I call the “What If” fears. The reality is that we really don’t have any way of knowing what will happen, and ultimately it is all in the hands of God. The One true God, who desires that all men be saved. He’s the one who has promised He would be with us as we go out and tell His story. We can trust Him.

Years ago I was selling KIRBY sweepers door to door. I remember many times walking up to a door convinced that there was a mean and angry person on the other side of the door who would probably be armed and have me down before I could knock on the door. Obviously that was never the reality. There were plenty of doors slammed in my face. But there were also many of those doors that opened up and eventually lead to a sale. I learned to be very careful not to let my fears keep me from at least knocking on the door. And that’s what we need to do…simply knock on the door and see.

How Do We Invite Someone to Join us on the Trail?

Each encounter and experience will be different because each person is different. However, there will be some common elements that we can practice as we go about inviting people to join us.

Pray – Jesus told the disciples that they would receive power and then would be His witnesses. To me this means that we don’t have what we need for this task without Him, so we need to be involved with Him in the process. This happens as we pray.

•  Pray for Yourself to be Prepared
• Pray for The Person you will be Telling the Story
•  Pray for Wisdom and Words to be Provided

Practice – There is nothing wrong with practicing your story. You want to be able to share it naturally and freely. Write it and recite it. A good exercise is to get with another Christian and just tell each other your Jesus’ story.

Press On – Then it is time to go and tell the story. God will provide you with opportunities to invite others along, so seize those opportunities. Go to people with the openness that you will let them know how they can get on the trail.

The Harvest is Plentiful – Head Out Into the Harvest

(to be continued)

Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts:

Here are some resources for you:

There are a wide variety of spiritual gift discovery tools. One tool appears beginning on the next page. These tools are simply one way of determining your potential area of giftedness based on your experiences. None of these tools are without fault, and you must never take these results at face value without praying and seeking God.

In addition, you must also answer the questions on these types of surveys honestly. You cannot put down what you wish your answer would be, or hope you answer to be, but what it really is.

 

A Word of Caution:

Many people have found themselves facing “burn-out” because they get into an area of ministry that was never meant for them, but they are afraid to leave that position. Pressure put on them by other believers, their pastor, and even their own sense of duty, causes them to stay in a place of ministry that drains them and burdens them while they neglect the place God intends for them to serve. Choose carefully where you serve.

Online Resources:

•  http://www.buildingchurch.net/g2s.htm
•  http://www.churchgrowth.org/analysis/intro.php
• www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_PDF_DSC_Spiritual_Growth_Assessment.pdf
•  http://www.scribd.com/doc/4077456/Discover-Your-Spiritual-Gifts

Books for Further Study

What’s So Spiritual About Your Gifts?
By: Henry Blackaby, Mel Blackaby: Published by: Multnomah in 2004

You Are Gifted: Your Spiritual Gifts and the Kingdom of God
By: Ken Hemphill; Published by: B & H Publishing Group in 2009

The Purpose-Driven Life
By: Rick Warren; Published by: Zondervan in 2002

Your Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow
By: C. Peter Wagner; Published by: Gospel Light in 2001

 

Review: Looking back on the Fifth Step on the Trail

Have I made the Decision to become a Child of God through Faith in Jesus Christ?

If I have, then God has placed a special Gift within me that He wants to use in ministry in His Kingdom.

Scriptures to Consider:

•  1 Corinthians 12 (Whole Chapter)
•  Romans 12.1-8
•  1 Peter 4.10

What things can I see myself doing in Ministry?

 

What needs are there in my church?

 

Has someone told me I would be “Perfect” for a Job?

 

Is there an area of service that keeps coming to mind?

 

Do I find spiritual fulfillment in a particular task?

 

(Next Part of the Journey: Inviting Others Along)

The Fifth Step on the Trail – Finding the Perfect Location

The Perfect Spot for a Honeymoon

When my wife and I got married we were little more than two foolish kids totally wrapped up with one another. We had no money for a honeymoon to speak of, so we opted for a hike and camping along part of the Vermont Long Trail. A year before our wedding I scouted out what I believed to be the perfect place. Little Rock Pond was a relatively easy hike, a gorgeous spot, and secluded just enough that we would be able to relax and enjoy our trip.

For me, to locate the perfect place required an investment of my time and effort. I spent several days there on day hikes, fishing, etc. Because my bride to be was not an experienced hiker/camper, especially in rustic settings like this I needed to carefully consider the choice I was making. I would not want our first few days of married life to be spent in misery because I had just haphazardly picked a place that was not the perfect place. It was an investment that paid off.

The Perfect Spot for Ministry

Like the danger of haphazardly choosing a location for a honeymoon, and perhaps even more damaging in many ways, we must carefully seek the place that God has intended for us to serve Him. To do this we have to prayerfully consider several things:

•  The Location of the Campsite – The Church Where God Wants You
•  The Contents of the Toolbox – The Gifts that God has Given You
•  The Employment in the Kingdom – The Job to which God Called You

God Wants to Use You!

It’s an amazing thing to consider that the God of the entire universe has chosen to use me in His kingdom work. Likewise, He has chosen to put you to work as well in His kingdom, and He has a specific plan on how He wants to use you. To that end He has placed within you special and specific gifts that He will utilize to fulfill His plan within you.

Become Part of the Kingdom

The First part of this journey begins when you make the decision to trust Jesus Christ for your salvation. Before God can begin to use you in His kingdom you need to be a citizen of the kingdom—you have to step on to the trail.

Seek the Right Campsite

Once you have made that choice, you have to pick a “campsite.” This is how we’ll refer to the church during this discussion. God intends for His people to connect with a community of faith. You don’t need to be a member of the church to be a child of God, but you do if you want to experience the fullness of what God has planned for you while you are living here on earth. People argue that they don’t want to be part of a church for a wide-variety of reasons, but I believe most of their disenchantment comes as a result of not being in the right place, the right church. We’ll talk more about the fellowship of the believers in a later section, but pay close attention to these following elements as you consider the place God wants you to worship and serve. If you want to be in the right campsite then look for the following:

•  The Church must preach and teach the Bible
•  The Church must point people to Jesus Christ
•  The Church must provide opportunities to serve the Lord

Pray and explore as you seek the right church for you and your family.

Check the Contents of the Toolbox

A couple years ago we went camping in the mountains of Georgia. I had planned and packed everything I thought we would need. I did a pretty good job for the most part. I had almost all that I needed. The only exception was that I didn’t have a mallet to drive the tent stakes into the ground. When I discovered that I thought, “no big deal.” I stepped on the stakes and shoved them into the ground as much as I could with my weight. Then came the night storm. The wind came in and quickly undid my staking job and brought down the shelter we had over the table and food. One little tool not being where I expected it to be and everything came undone. The next trip I had two mallets in my truck.

God has given every believer specific tools according to His plan and purpose for them. Consider the following passage:

Ephesians 4:11-16 (NLT)
¹¹ He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. ¹² Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, ¹³ until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ.
¹⁴ Then we will no longer be like children, forever changing our minds about what we believe because someone has told us something different or because someone has cleverly lied to us and made the lie sound like the truth. ¹⁵ Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. ¹⁶ Under his direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

According to His plan (direction) He has given each believer the tools needed for the work He has called them to. He wants to use you in His work. This is an incredible privilege and a daunting responsibility. I am always reminded of the weight of this.

It means that we need to spend some time doing an inventory of the tools we have. It means we need to answer some critical questions:

•  What are the gifts God has given me?
•  How has God wired my personality and passions?
•  Where is the need of service that I can best fulfill?

At the end of this section will be several practical tools that provide some ways of discovering what your gifts might be. They are tools that have been prepared and used through the years to help believers on this stage of the journey. However, the most important part of this process is that you seek God’s direction in this process. It is, after all, His plan.

Employment in the Kingdom

•  Talk with and pray with your pastor about your gifts and service.
•  Look for areas of need that you can’t get off your heart.
•  Don’t be afraid to try different things as you are seeking.

Some Areas of Service

Each church has different needs and policies regarding who and where people will serve. Talk with your pastor or other leaders in your church to find out how people are selected or elected for positions of service. Here are some areas that you might consider for service that are common to most churches:

•  Assist a Sunday School Class
•  Set-Up and/or Clean Up from Events
•  Reading in Worship Service
•  Singing or Instrument Playing
•  Serving in Nursing Home/Prison Ministry
•  Driving a Bus
•  Cleaning Church, Grounds, Buildings
•  Writing Notes and Cards to Shut-ins, Visitors, MIA members
•  Encouraging Others
•  Hosting a Small Group in your home
•  Teaching/Facilitating a Small Group
•  Helping people who are in need

This is certainly not an exhaustive list. Look for places to serve and then get to work.

(There’s more to come so keep watching.)

 

Sharing What You Have in Your Pack (Continued)

A QUICK STUDY OF A GIVER’S HEART

THE WIDOWS MITE – Giving God All We Have

Luke 21:1-4 (NLT)
While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people putting their gifts into the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two pennies.

“I assure you,” he said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

Let’s do a quick study of this passage by picking out three key elements.

• The Poor Widow
• The Two Pennies
• The Lord Jesus

The Poor Widow

We don’t know anything about this widow. Her name. How long she’s been a widow. Why she is a widow. What type of home she lived in. All we know is that her meager gift impressed Jesus, not because of its size, but because of what it revealed about the heart of the giver. She was placing in God’s hands all that she had.

The Two Pennies

Literally these two pennies (Greek word “lepton”) mentioned in the passage would have been more like a shaving from a penny. It was the least valuable of all the coins of the day. In some versions of the Bible the word “mite” is used to identify the minuteness of the offering.

The Lord Jesus

In the middle of the story and overseeing it all is the Lord Jesus. Multitudes of people had come with large sums of money to put in the temple treasury. Jesus, the Son of God was there watching. He wasn’t watching as an accountant, nor as a judge, but as one who was able to see past the earthly treasure being placed in the offering to the heart of the giver and their connection with the Kingdom of God. As He saw the widow—who, by the way, probably came as discreetly as she possibly could—He observed a woman who had a life-altering connection to the kingdom of God.

What is Really Being Offered

The danger as we consider sharing what we have is that we might be tempted to limit the scope of our discussion to the financial resources we put in the offering plate. But I believe that this widow’s gift identified that she had really given much more than her money. Her total devotion belonged to God. She had given Him everything, her time, money, strength. To the world around her, the people with their big jingling bags of coins, her gift must have seemed like little more than an amusement, but it was this gift that Christ recognized because of what was given with the gift.

Looking Back at the Fourth Step on the Trail

There is a difficult and Challenging Question we all need to ask:

What Does Jesus Think of My Offering?

He’s not looking merely to the size of my offering, nor to the frequency of my giving, but how what I give represents my connection to the Kingdom of God.

How Can I offer God…

• My Treasure?
• My Talents?
• My Time?
• My Totality?

Tithing worksheet – It’s About More than Money

Finances

 Total Gross Income ___________________

• Figure out either Weekly, Monthly, or Annually.
• This is the amount that God has provided you with.

 Multiply by 10% (.10) ___________________

• This is the amount of the tithe of your money.

Time

How many hours does God provide you with each day? _________

Multiply that number of hours by 10% (.10) _________

Are you willing to figure out ways to tithe your time?

Space

What is the square footage of your home? _________

Multiply that Number by 10% (.10) _________

Are you willing to dedicate a tithe of your space to God?

Notes:

The Fourth Step on the Trail – Sharing What You Have in Your Pack

A few years ago I read an article that was titled “Money Talks.” It opened up with the following:

“ I know that money talks, I hear mine say goodbye all the time.”

One of the hardest things in all of life is sharing what we have with others. Whether you are an infant arguing over your stuffed animals, or an adult looking at the balance in your checking account. There are a lot of different motivations for that, but most of them fall back to the ugly specter of greed in our lives.

One of the members of my church shared the blessing of giving with me recently. She recounted how she had arrived at church and realized that what she had committed to give was going to leave her significantly short for the coming week. She struggled with that for a while, but when the time came she gave what she had committed whispering a prayer that God would help meet her needs that coming week. Later that day she found money in her washer, even after having checked pockets and such. She also found money in the seat cushions. In addition she discovered several new items of clothing that were expensive articles that she could give to her grand-daughter further saving her money. God returned what she had given and then some as she was faithful in giving.

I’m not saying that this is the experience all the time. There have been times when we have committed to give something, but we haven’t found money lying around to fill in the gaps. Sometimes we have discovered that the gaps simply are filled in. Sometimes we find that as we are faithful and patient God reveals He had a different plan for us.

There are a wide range of Scriptures concerning sharing our resources with others in giving to God’s work. It’s clearly something that the Lord placed a high priority upon. Here are just a few of the key passages:

Malachi 3:8-10 (NLT)
“Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, `What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me.
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to you!

Proverbs 11:25 (NLT)
The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Proverbs 22:9 (NLT)
Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor.

YOU CAN’T OUT-GIVE GOD!

2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (NLT)
⁶ Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
⁷ You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully.
⁸ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
⁹ As the Scriptures say, “Godly people give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will never be forgotten.”
¹⁰ For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will give you many opportunities to do good, and he will produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
¹¹ Yes, you will be enriched so that you can give even more generously. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will break out in thanksgiving to God.
¹² So two good things will happen—the needs of the Christians in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanksgiving to God.
¹³ You will be glorifying God through your generous gifts. For your generosity to them will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.
¹⁴ And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the wonderful grace of God shown through you.
¹⁵ Thank God for his Son—a gift too wonderful for words!

Some Thoughts About Sharing What’s In our Pack

• Generous Giving is a Response to What has Been Given to Us!
• Generous Giving is a Reaction to the One who Has Given to Us!
• Generous Giving is a Revelation of What is a Priority to Us!
• Generous Giving is a Realization of Who Holds the Deed to Your Heart!
• Generous Giving is Rewarded as one who Plants is rewarded with a Harvest.

(More to come…)

REVIEW: Looking Back at Your Third Step on the Trail

Prayer is Important Enough That Jesus Did It

Review these Scriptures and Make Notes about what you read

•  Matthew 14:23
•  Mark 1:35
•  Mark 6:46
•  Luke 5:16
• Luke 6:12
•  Luke 9:18
•  Luke 9:28
•  Luke 22:41

Jesus Taught us Many Things About Praying

•  He taught us to pray at all times and not lose heart (Luke 18.1-8)
•  He taught us to pray simply and earnestly (Matthew 6.5-13)
•  He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us pray (Romans 8.26-27)

Using the ACTS acrostic fill in the following in your trail journal

• A – Adoration –
• Write some words here that you would use to praise the Lord and worship Him.

• C – Confession –
• Think about words, actions, attitudes, or time when you should have done something but didn’t and confess it to the Lord.

• T – Thanksgiving –
• Write two or three things here that you are thankful for. Tell God “Thank You” as you pray.

• S – Supplication –
• Are you aware of something in your life or in someone else’s life that needs to be a matter of prayer?

Something to Consider – Prayer & Quiet Time

Here is a copy of one of the pages I developed for my own quiet time. Feel free to copy it and use it, or take it and change it to fit what you want your quiet time to be.

 

Quiet Time Journal Date: _________________ Time: ________________ Location: ____________________________________ Beginning Thoughts and Questions _____________________________________ Scripture Passages ____________________________________ Prayer Time: My Prayers: ________________________________________   God’s Response: ___________________________________   Things I’m Wrestling with or Wondering About:   Thoughts for Next Quiet Time: ________________________

The Priority of Prayer

One of the most awesome passages of Scripture, in my estimation is the following:

Luke 11:1-4

And it came about that while He was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.”

And He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'”

The thing that I find most awesome about this passage is the question the disciples ask. They could have asked anything. I’m sure that they would have like to know how to walk on water, they were fishermen after all, imagine what they could save by not needing boats. What about being able feed thousands with just a few fish and loaves of bread, that would really cut down on the grocery bills. Or being able to heal the sick and bring sight back to the blind. I think that there were so many things that they could have asked Jesus to teach them. Why prayer?

I believe there are a couple things that brought them to that ask that specific thing.

Jesus shows us that Prayer is a Priority

There are several times in the Bible that tell us that Jesus went off to pray. The disciples saw Him doing that. They recognized that this time away in prayer was important to Jesus.

In your Bible look up these verses and fill in the blanks.

(Remember that these are from the New American Standard Bible and may read slightly different than the version you are reading from. Don’t be confused by that.)

Matthew 14:23

And after He had sent the multitudes away, He went up to the mountain ____________ to pray; and when it was evening, He was there ____________________.

Mark 1:35

And in the ____________________________, while it was still dark, He arose and went out and ____________________________, and was ______________________ there.

Mark 6:46

And after bidding them farewell, ___________________________________________.

Luke 5:16

But He Himself _________________________________________________________.

Luke 6:12

And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain ______________, and He spent ___________________________________.

Luke 9:18

And it came about that while _______________________________, the disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the multitudes say that I am?”

Luke 9:28

And some eight days after these sayings, it came about that He took along Peter and John and James, and went ________________________________________.

Luke 22:41

And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and _________________________

___________________________________,

Now, look up John chapter 17 in your Bible and have your highlighter handy.

Click this link to go to the Online Bible:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2017&version=NASB

John 17 is what I consider to be the actual “Lord’s Prayer” because here is the prayer that Jesus prayed for his disciples and for us. Here’s how I want you to read this prayer passage. First, just read through it slowly from start to finish. Then, tell Jesus thank you for praying for you as His follower. Then read through it a second time and using your highlighter mark any parts of the passage that mean something special to you. You may not have the same marks as other group members, and that is ok. You focus on what you see and hear as you read.

Below make some notes based on what you have read and what you have gleaned from this Scripture reading.

Isn’t it awesome to think that Jesus prayed for those who would one day follow Him. (see verse 20) That means us. We are believers because of the word of God that has been passed along through the generations. That also reminds us of our responsibility to continue to pass on Jesus’ words and teaching to the generations that follow ours.

Jesus Taught us to Pray

Not only did Jesus model for us that prayer was a priority, but he also taught us many lessons about prayer. Again, in your Bible, look up the following verses and fill in the blanks.

Luke 18:1-8

Now He was telling them a parable to show that _______________________________ they ought to ___________________________________________, saying, “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God, and did not respect man. “And there was a widow in that city, and ___________________________________________, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ And for a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, lest by continually coming she wear me out.'”

And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who ____________________________________________, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

Matthew 6:5-13

“And when you pray, you are not to be _____________________________________; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order _____________________________________________________. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.

“But you, when you pray, go into _______________________________, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will repay you. And when you are praying, do not use _____________________

________________________________________, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them; for

_____________________________________________________________________.

“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father…(write out the rest of the prayer here) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Prayer was important to Jesus. It was important enough that he modeled it for the disciples, and taught His followers how to pray. It was also important enough that He did another really significant thing for us.

Jesus Gave us His Spirit to help us Pray

One of the greatest promises for us as we are praying, regardless of whether you are just learning to pray or have been praying for years, is to know that when we don’t know what to pray the Spirit of the Lord is there with us to help us and to take the things we cannot seem to put into words and lift them before the Lord. Read this passage from the book of Romans.

And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; FOR WE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO PRAY AS WE SHOULD, BUT THE SPIRIT HIMSELF INTERCEDES FOR US WITH GROANINGS TOO DEEP FOR WORDS; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27emphasis added)

There will be times that you won’t really know what to pray. This isn’t just because it is something that is new to you. Sometimes you will just have a deep burden for someone, a circumstance, or your own life, and you just won’t be able to find the words. The Spirit of the Lord knows where you are and what you need. He knows what you are feeling. That’s a great comfort.

With Prayer We Have a 24/7 Link to the Lord

1 Thessalonians 5:17 – pray without ceasing;

I remember the days of dial up internet. When I first hooked up with America Online years ago I couldn’t believe how fast I could get things done. It amazed me the vast amount of information that was at my finger-tips as I logged on to the world wide web. Now I chuckle to think of how naïve I was, and how far we have come in such a short time. Now we use a cable modem at my house. We have access to the internet 24/7 because of the connection we have.

This is what our connection to the Lord is when you stop to think about it. Praying without ceasing means that we have that kind of connection—a 24/7 availability. We can pray anywhere, anytime. Most significantly, it reminds us that we are invited to take a moment out of our day and spend time with the Lord. He wants us to get connected with Him.

This acrostic might help you get started as you are beginning to pray.

A – Adoration – Praise God for who He is.

C – Confession – Know that you have done wrong, and it means daily cleansing

T – Thanksgiving – Give Him thanks for whatever comes to mind

S – Supplication – Ask for specific things for you, your family, whoever

Prayer will be a great part of the adventure of the journey you are on. It will help you get your bearings, and keep you on course. In prayer God will hear you and will speak to you. It’s getting connected with the GPS of your soul. Connect with God right now.

(to be continued)

PRAYER – Getting Your Bearings

The Priority of Prayer

I’m officially a child of a previous generation. I have enjoyed technology, and I think I do fairly well on my computer. However, text messaging on my cell phone is still pretty illusive. I watch the kids texting whole paragraphs in the time it takes me to type in a sentence. I remember with great fondness when a phone was just a phone.

The other piece of technology that I find I am warring against is the GPS navigator. So far I have been able to avoid getting one. It’s not so much that I am against it, I just don’t see the need. My aunt and uncle–several years my senior–have one now. I was quite surprised by the addition to their windshield when they came to visit us in Florida a couple years ago.

My first experience following the directions of their GPS didn’t help my doubts about the device. We were heading to Florida from Vermont and following behind them as they listened to the directions the little box dictated. Everything was going well until we hit New Jersey. For some reason the device sent us off the interstate into downtown Newark. Within a few minutes of getting off the interstate my car was involved in an accident that forced me to leave my car in New Jersey for three weeks. I was, needless to say, less than thrilled with the performance of the gadget.

However, the same device did bring me and my uncle directly to the body shop three weeks later when I returned for my recently repaired car. In fact, that trip was so easy and smooth that I actually stop now and look over the instruments in the display at the electronics store. I have not bought one yet.

As a young man hiking we had a very primitive form of GPS. It was called a compass. The compass functioned by keying in on magnetic north. We learned how to use the compass to identify direction and to keep tabs on the way we had traveled so that we would be able to find our way back to the beginning of the trail if we needed to. Our last minivan actually had a built in digital compass. That came in handy a few times when I was caught “taking the scenic route” traveling with my family.

These navigational instruments are intended to help us in our journey by keeping us on the right course. However, you have to make use of them if you want to benefit from having them. It does not good to have the compass in your pack, but never pull it out to get your bearings. There is no benefit in having the GPS device in your glove box, but refusing to make use of it.  In fact, as I think about that scenario I can’t help but wonder if that might become one of the arguments that my wife and might eventually have. Instead of, “why don’t you stop to ask directions?” she would instead be lamenting, “why don’t you plug in the GPS.” To which I, being a red blooded American man, would respond with that most used of lies, “I don’t need to do that, because I know exactly where I am and where I am going.”

(Next Post – Where Prayer Fits in for Getting our Bearings)

Something to Consider – Your Bible

Bible Versions

People often ask me what the best Bible version is. My somewhat coy response is, “Whatever version you will read is the best version.” I mean that, but I want to spend a little more time helping you answer this as a concluding part of this study.

My Versions of Choice

Primarily I use one of three versions in my quiet time. Most often I read from the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) New Living Translation (NLT) or the New American Standard Bible (NASB). In preaching these are the three versions I use most frequently as well. I refer to others as well, but find I am most comfortable with these.

For Your Use

I would recommend that you use a version that is easy to read and comprehend. In addition I would recommend that you get a study Bible. I recommend the Life Application Study Bible to most people when they ask. This study Bible has notes at the bottom of each page referring to verses on that page. By using those notes it helps you understand what you have been reading in the context of the time it was written. There are helpful insights and lessons that you can apply to your life directly from the Scriptures.

(http://cbd.com is a great place to purchase Bibles and Christian books)

How to Choose

If you would like to compare Bibles this is what I would encourage you to do. In each Bible you are going to look at read the first chapter of John. Compare each version considering how you are able to read it and understand it. You might also consider reading the pages in the beginning of the Bible. Many translations offer you information about the scholarship behind that particular translation in the front of the Bible.

Some Less Academic Considerations

Size Matters

As you are picking out a Bible you are probably looking for a Bible that you are going to want to carry to church, pack in your suitcase when traveling, and bring to Bible studies and small groups that you are attending. You probably don’t want to get a ten pounder.

It’s Ok to Carry a Bible Cover

In addition you may want to look for a good Bible cover. Many of these covers provide a way to carry a small notebook, pens, and highlighters along with your Bible. There are covers for women and for men. (Take a look at www.cbd.com to find a selection of Bible covers). In thinking about taking notes you may also want to take a look at the space available in your Bible for writing note, for example in the margins.

Read it…Read it…Read it…

Most important of all is that you take the time and make the commitment to read it.

Enjoy the Journey!

Next step on the trail – Getting your Bearing through Prayer

Tools that Make for a Great Quiet Time

Some Dynamics for Your Quiet Time

This quiet time with the Lord—the pause along the trail—will allow you to experience some things that will have a real impact on your travel.

•  You will be Refueled
•  You will be Refreshed
•  You will be Renewed
•  You will be Revived

Some Ideas for Your Quiet Time

There is no real right or wrong when it comes to your quiet time. The priority is not on the steps or techniques as much as it is in the taking of the time. You will need to determine what will work best for you as you travel the trail. What I want to share with you here are just some ideas. These may work for you, but don’t feel like you ned to follow this plan alone.

Getting Started

 Set aside a Quiet Time

 Select a Quiet Place

 Seek to have a Quiet Heart

Here’s what these things mean. Set aside a time that will work for you in your life. For me it most often has been late at night. I would get everyone else settled in to bed and then, often with a loud sigh, sit and open my Bible. The danger with the late at night quiet time is that it is easy to become so restful that you actually doze off. I think God may be alright with that too at times.

Selecting a quiet place is more than finding a place without noise around. For me a quiet place needs to be a place that doesn’t need to be picked up. I can’t tell you how many times I have started my quiet time and become fixated on something that is out of place and before I know it I’m cleaning the room so I can actually sit and focus on my quiet time. For you to have a quiet place you may need to take the phone off the hook, put the kids to bed or in the yard, and put a do not disturb sign on the door. Mark my words, as soon as you determine that you are going to have a quiet time the phone will ring, a knock will come on the door, the dog will start barking, and your child(ren) will begin throwing a fit. Be ready for it and don’t let it derail you.

Seeking to have a quiet heart is probably the most difficult thing for most of us. Having a quiet heart means letting go of everything else that we might be trying to focus on, think about, worry over. That’s important for a couple of reasons. First, because God wants our attention, and we can’t fully give him our attention if we are listening to the other voices in our heart. Second, if we are not careful, the noise of our lives may define an agenda for our quiet time with God. The things we are worrying over or thinking about can easily become steering factors in our time. We start focusing more on what we want to hear from God instead of simply wanting to hear from Him.

Gathering Your Tools

 Your Bible

 A Notebook and Pen

 A Devotional Book

Having your Bible probably goes without saying. The notebook and pen is so you can journal your quiet time experience and write down anything you might hear God speak. A devotional book will sometimes help you find a place to begin. Many devotional books offer a reading plan to help you read through the Bible.

Looking Back at Your Second Step on the Trail

• Having a Daily Quiet Time is a Priority on the Journey
•  There is no Substitute for time Spent PERSONALLY with God
•  If you don’t Pause on the trail you may give up the journey
•  Every believer has to go to the well of Living Water themselves
• Your Quiet Time Will Allow you to Experience
• Refueling
• Refreshing
• Renewing
• Reviving

1 – When will I set aside my Quiet Time

2 – Where will I select a Quiet Place

3 – How will I seek a Quiet Heart

Psalms 46:10
“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

————–In the next post:—————

Have you ever asked: “What version of the Bible should I use?”