TAKE A JULY JOURNEY, Week 3
DAY 13… July 13 SUNDAY was your DAY 12.
READ: Philippians 2:3-11
Thoughts to Help You Think About the Scripture
Popular today is the concept of living RADICAL,
EXTREME, and in a GROUND-BREAKING way. People
love “pushing the limits” in life. Think about how people
today have “pushed the limits” and become extreme in
areas of sexuality, in the areas of health and fitness, in
how people protest things they don’t like or agree with,
and in a host of other ways of our world. Some of that
extreme living is God-pleasing, some of it is not.
Philippians 2:3-11 challenges us to a kind of living that is
certainly God-pleasing, is in every way “bold,” and takes
great strength and discipline. Are you ready for it?
Live For Christ by Passionately Serving Others. What
makes that so extreme is when you consider the opposite
of this kind of living as verses 3-4 express. Why do we
often live life focused on ourselves? What is scary about
thinking of others ahead of ourselves? See Matthew
6:25-34 for an answer to that question. Serving Others
vs. Serving Ourselves has eternal ramifications. See
Matthew 25:41-46. How have you been serving others?
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 places before us a tremendous life
concept by which we can SERVE OTHERS. It reminds us
that GOD will take care of us, so that then WE can focus
on taking care of others. After all, what needs does God
have that He needs us to take care of for Him?
Serving Others isn’t just a series of random acts of
kindness. Philippians 2:5 calls it a “mindset” or an
“attitude.” What does that mean?
When we’re not sure about what the life of Serving
Others is all about, just look to Christ. How did He serve
us according to vs. 6-11? This is the way we are to live.
We won’t get an example of it from anyone in our world.
Only from Christ! Step up and LIVE EXTREME as a
SERVANT of JESUS!
WHAT WILL YOU ASK GOD FOR TODAY?
WHO WILL YOU BRING TO GOD TODAY?
WHAT CAN YOU THANK GOD FOR TODAY?
DAY 14… July 14
READ: James 4:4-10
Thoughts to Help You Think About the Scripture
One of the most thriving industries in urban areas today
is the asbestos removal industry. Asbestos is a
construction material found in most older buildings that
can cause cancer. To remove asbestos, workers must
put on air tight suits that completely cover their body so
that they can have maximum protection from the area
that has harmful asbestos.
Unfortunately, we don’t have “spiritual protective suits”
that we can wear in life to keep us from the many
dangers of this world. It is true that the Lord promises to
protect us from evil—see 2 Thessalonians 3:3. Yet, the
danger of evil is all around us. In this world, we will face
dangerous temptation. In this world, regretfully,
sometimes we do fall and sin. James 4:4-10 helps us
know what to do when we’ve fallen into a trap of sin.
How does James 4:4-5 remind us to “BE CLEAR, WE
CAN’T HAVE LIFE BOTH THIS WORLD’S WAY and
GOD’S WAY?” When have you tried to have life both
ways? When have you tried to “negotiate” with God’s
Word and “justify” in your own mind that something that
was really dark and dangerous, could still have a place in
your life? How did that kind of double living end up?
When you and I fall into a sin trap, here’s what to do: 1.
BOW TO THE LORD IN REPENTENCE. 2. THE LORD
WILL LIFT YOU UP ON ACCOUNT OF JESUS. How do
vs. 7-9 call us to BOW in REPENTENCE? Don’t make
excuses. Don’t try to make the world’s ways “fit” into an
acceptable role before God. It won’t work. We can’t love
both. What did Jesus say in Matthew 6:24?
In Numbers 21:6-9, God’s people were in a deadly
situation because of their sin against Him. What did they
do in v. 7? What did God do in vs. 8-9? For us, who get
caught in the deadly traps of sin, what is God’s plan to lift
us out according to John 3:14-15? Don’t stay trapped.
Confess your sins. Trust Christ! Be free through Jesus!
WHAT WILL YOU ASK GOD FOR TODAY?
WHO WILL YOU BRING TO GOD TODAY?
WHAT CAN YOU THANK GOD FOR TODAY?
DAY 15… July 15
READ: Selected Passages
Thoughts to Help You Think About the Scripture
1) “learn from.” 2) “separate.” 3) “be very careful with.”
Those are the “answers” to today’s Bible time, regarding
the question: Does it matter WHO we hang out with and
listen to as we go through life?
Living life with others who love Jesus is so important.
What does the writer to the Hebrews say in Hebrews
13:7? How does Proverbs 13:20 put it? Someone once
said that in our lives, each of us needs a “PAUL person,”
who can be a spiritual father to us; a “BARNABUS
person” who can be a spiritual brother who encourages
us; and a “TIMOTHY person” who we can be a spiritual
parent to. Do you have spiritual people like that in your
life right now whom you can “learn from”?
But not everybody around us is a help to our walk with
Jesus Christ. There are some people that I need you to
reach out to (instead of me doing it), because they are
poisonous to my personal spiritual life. Read Proverbs
14:7. Are there some people in your life that you must
“separate” from because they bring out the worst in you
spiritually? Read Numbers 33:50-56. When God’s
people entered the promised land of Canaan, what did
He tell them to do with those who were in the land? Why?
What was the danger that they posed to God’s people?
Check 1 Kings 11:1-4. What happened to Solomon? Ever
heard of that happening to any person today—that an
ungodly person of the opposite sex turned a child of God
away from the Lord? Who are the people that you need
to “separate” from to stay strong in the Lord? (They could be
sexually poisonous, financially poisonous, distract you from
worshipping and serving God.)
Who do you know in your life that you need to “Be very
careful with,” as you associate with them? Hear the Word
of the Lord… what is Proverbs 14:15-16 saying to you?
Sometimes a crowd of people can be very powerful in
moving us to live in ways that we otherwise would quickly
say “No” to. Note what Exodus 23:1-3 says. Have the
courage to act in the way you know is pleasing to God.
WHAT WILL YOU ASK GOD FOR TODAY?
WHO WILL YOU BRING TO GOD TODAY?
WHAT CAN YOU THANK GOD FOR TODAY?
DAY 16… July 16
READ: Matthew 15:21-28
Thoughts to Help You Think About the Scripture
Unless there is someone reading today who is Jewish
(and I am delighted if there is), did you know that the woman in
today’s reading is OUR SISTER?! Glance back at Jesus’
words in v. 24, none of us are ethnically Jews of the
house of Israel. Yet, what does Jesus say about this
woman in v. 28? This episode in Jesus’ life reminds me
of four important truths about faith in the Lord.
Truth #1. If you would have heard the disciples’ response
in v. 23 & Jesus’ response in v. 24, what would you have
done/said? This Gentile woman from Canaan didn’t go
anywhere. She didn’t get mad. She didn’t get emotional
and curse Jesus out for not helping. She stayed in the
presence of Jesus looking to Him for help on His
timetable. What matters do you need to be PATIENT and
PERSISTENT about before the Lord right now?
Truth #2. Faith is HUMBLY RECEIVING THE KINDNESS
THAT JESUS WILL GIVE. What do the woman’s words
and body language in v. 25 say? When have you and I
been angry and demanding before God instead of
HUMBLY receiving what he will give? Look how God
promises His best to us in Psalm 32:8 That’s faith!
Truth #3. Read again vs. 26-27. How would you react if
Jesus called you a “dog”? (that’s the way Jews saw Gentiles) I
love how the woman reacts. She says, ”I’d rather be a
dog at your table, eating the crumbs, than being fed
anywhere else.” Translation. This woman believes that
ONLY JESUS CAN HELP her. Do you and I have that
same faith for the issues of our lives?
Truth #4. Jesus GIVES faith. Jesus STRENGTHENS
faith. Jesus BLESSES faith in Him. The Holy Spirit is
working faith in Jesus in this woman. Why else would she
stay at Jesus’ feet? Also, look at how her faith grew as
she said, “Jesus, I’ll take your crumbs.” Will you take
Jesus’ crumbs? As this woman simply trusts Jesus to
take care of her, her faith in Jesus is blessed and her
daughter is healed. Close your time with God asking the
Holy Spirit to give you this same incredible faith in Christ.
WHAT WILL YOU ASK GOD FOR TODAY? WHO WILL YOU BRING
TO GOD TODAY? WHAT CAN YOU THANK GOD FOR TODAY?
DAY 17… July 17
READ: Isaiah 43:18-19
Thoughts to Help You Think About the Scripture
This is a Word from the Lord for EVERY ONE OF US.
Let’s understand the context. God’s people, Israel, have
been continually unfaithful and disobedient to the Lord.
It’s a cycle--they are faithful to the Lord… but then they
wander from the Lord… they won’t heed God’s warnings
about some of the sinful things they are getting into…
God must come and punish/discipline them… they repent
and turn back to the Lord… He forgives them… and the
cycle starts over again. Is that cycle a familiar one to the
story of your life? All heads should be nodding “yes”
Check Isaiah 42:23-25 and see how and why God
punishes His people. The punishment was actually
sending His people to live in slavery exile for a time. But
now, In Isaiah 43, God is coming with GOOD NEWS
about how He is going to save and restore His people.
See the Good News in Isaiah 43:1-3a. NOW… that the
Lord has forgiven, what attitude does He direct His
people to in Isaiah 43:18?
In the Bible, there are times when God says “Don’t forget
this…” like in Psalm 103:2. There are other times when
the Lord says, “Forget stuff of the past.” like in 2
Corinthians 5:17. In Isaiah 43:18 what are we to forget?
Isn’t that GOOD NEWS that we can forget our sins and
times of disobedience? Why can we forget them? Only
one reason—2 Cor. 5:21. Someone once said, “LEARN
FROM your past, but DON’T LIVE IN your past.” What do
you think that person meant? How can we do that in light
of the forgiveness of Jesus? What past failures do you
want to be gone forever? Haters might bring up my past,
but I will stand on God’s perspective from Psalm 103:1213. Through Christ, our past is forgiven.
Got some stuff from last night that you brought before
Christ and He forgave? NOW LET IT GO! from last month?
NOW LET IT GO! from a few years back? NOW LET IT
GO! Isaiah 43:19 says that after God forgives and
restores us, He is all about doing something NEW in us!
WHAT WILL YOU ASK GOD FOR TODAY?
WHO WILL YOU BRING TO GOD TODAY?
WHAT CAN YOU THANK GOD FOR TODAY?
DAY 18… July 18
READ: Acts 14:21-22
Thoughts to Help You Think About the Scripture
What preparations are you making for worship in God’s
House tomorrow? Appropriate preparations for worship
are things like cleaning and preparing clothes… for
ladies, doing hair… making sure there is gas in the car to
get to worship… preparing the offering that you will
bring… setting an alarm to make sure you get up on time
for worship… getting a good night’s rest so that you will
not be sleepy during worship.
If you are helping to lead worship, you might have
additional preparations. If you’re reading one of the
Scripture readings, have you checked the pronunciations
for all of the words in the Scripture. Isn’t God’s Word too
precious and doesn’t God’s Word deserve respect
enough to be prepared and not stumble as you read it
before the church? Are you singing to lead God’s people
in worship—are you prepared with your part?
Let me suggest one other preparation. Look at Hebrews
10:23-25. What work are we to do in our worship as we
gather with others? This was Paul and Barnabus’
mission to so many churches that they came to. As they
went to cities like Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
according to Acts 14:22, what was their mission? Why is
this mission so important (see the end of v. 22)? Isn’t that
still an important mission today for when we gather? As
you prepare for gathering at church tomorrow, who needs
your encouragement not to give up? who needs your
encouragement that they are forgiven and their sin is put
away? who needs your encouragement to stop
wandering into some dangerous places? who needs your
encouragement that God keeps His promises, even
though it is on His timetable? who would it be good to
pray with tomorrow? who might need your financial
kindness tomorrow? Plan to do it now so that you are
prepared and thoughtful in doing it tomorrow.
WHAT WILL YOU ASK GOD FOR TODAY?
WHO WILL YOU BRING TO GOD TODAY?
WHAT CAN YOU THANK GOD FOR TODAY?