STUDENT DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
2014
International World Changers is a ministry of IMB (International Mission Board) of the Southern Baptist Convention, providing student groups and individuals with pre-packaged mission opportunities that respond to strategic requests of IMB personnel.
2014
CG 1.5M 2/14 P6514
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STUDENT DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
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IWC Student Devotional Guide for International World Changers Copyright © 2013 International Mission Board All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other— except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the publisher. All verses and passages quoted in this material are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), unless otherwise noted. Theme Content: Chad Williams Editor: Felicity Slemp Theme Art: Kathy Flores Design: Rebecca Valerio
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table of contents 5
About the author
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Introduction to theme
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Suggestions for using this guide 14
Week 1: ALL OF GOD
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Week 2: ALL OF ME
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Week 3: ALL THE WORLD
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Week 4: ALL THE BIBLE Week 5: ALL THE CHURCH
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Week 6: ALL MY LIFE
106 On the trip home
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Camire is the student pastor at Parkway Baptist Church in Moseley, Va. He is married to Julie and has two children, Jillian (3) and Landon (1). Mike loves spending time with family, learning from his kids as they grow, playing sports and listening to all genres of music. He says he is “a HUGE Duke Blue Devil basketball fan and a NASCAR junkie.” Mike has helped build the Parkway Baptist Church student ministry from the ground up. The church was one week old when his family began attending and he and his brother were “charter members” of the student group. After graduating from Liberty University in 2007, Mike became the student pastor at Parkway and has seen God work through Parkway students in wonderful ways. Mike has taken students overseas on missions through IWC projects and is preparing a team to serve in Argentina with IWC this summer. He says, “Know that I and others are praying for you as you prepare for an amazing experience that will totALLy change your life!” Connect with Mike: Twitter - @mikEcamirE Facebook - mikEcamirE Email -
[email protected]
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Introduction to theme All of God with all of me to all of the world. What do you think of when you hear the word ALL? Whenever I think of the word all, I think of a sports team. I think of the pep talks and pre-game meetings where the coach challenges the team by casting his vision, goals and game plan. He communicates the purpose of the team, the mission of the team and the results if the team follows his challenge. This is the way he gets the players “hyped” before a big game. Each person on that team must choose if he or she will accept the coach’s challenge or not. Whatever choice the player makes, there are implications. A player will either advance the coach’s vision or follow his own vision for the team. A player is either “all in” or not in at all. As a believer, you are a “player” in the game of life and eternity. God is your coach and He has given you a challenge and vision: to know Him, glorify Him in all things and join Him in His mission of redeeming humankind. He communicates this vision through His Word. You can see this vision being cast throughout the Bible and read stories of people who either chose to be “all in,” following God and joining Him in His mission, or not. You have the same choice to make with your life. Are you going to give God all your life and follow Him or not?
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7 God’s plan is to use you in incredible ways to share His life-changing message of the Gospel with the world. When you follow Christ and commit your life to Him, then, it means to give Him your all. Your commitment cannot be to give Jesus only a part of your life that doesn’t matter or you don’t really care about. You only fool yourself when you follow Christ only when it’s convenient or safe. Also, you don’t make a commitment to Christ just because your parents or grandparents expect you to do so. When you give your life to Jesus, you join in something bigger than yourself, and it means committing everything you are and have to His lordship. You accept His vision and join Him in His mission to making His good news known to the world. Alvin Reid states, “At its heart, Christianity is not an institution to be maintained; it is a movement to be advanced.”1 When you became a Christian, you join a world-wide movement to advance the Gospel. It is an awesome privilege to be a part of this movement and live out the Gospel in the world every day! By embracing God’s mission, you are radically changed forever. Michael Wilder and Shane Parker call this “Transformission:” “God has chosen us to serve as disciple-makers in this world. It is our responsibility to communicate unashamedly, through word and action, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to a world of hungering and thirsting unbelievers. The phenomenal truth is this: As we actively participate in spreading the story
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Suggestions for using this guide GO ALL OUT BEFORE YOU GO!
As we actively participate in spreading the story of Christ’s redemptive work, we are also somehow transformed in the process. Just as William Carey’s attitudes, values and life purpose were changed when he engaged [India] with the gospel, so it will be for us as we begin to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus.”2 Mike Camire Moseley, VAe overseas on mission. As you go on this IWC project, be prepared to be transformed by encountering God at work through you among the nations.
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This guide is an essential tool to help you prepare spiritually for your mission project. In the next six weeks, we want you to read, pray, and journey through God’s Word and this material to get invested in this project. There is something of a principle here: put little in and get little out; invest much and receive much. The idea of giving your all starts right now, not after you pack and head for the airport. You can also grow in your understanding of what it means for God to become your all. Also, we want you to learn that this process of giving all to God and letting God be your all must include joining God in His mission of sharing the Gospel with all the world. Our prayer is that you will work your way through all of this material so you will be ready in all ways to join God in His work at your project.
START AT LEAST FIVE WEEKS BEFORE YOUR PROJECT.
This material is presented in six units, with each including an introduction, a challenge, and five devotions to be completed in a week’s time. Week six is intended to be completed at your project. Each week you will focus on a sub-topic of the main theme of All. Be sure to start with the introduction so you will understand the gist of the unit. With five devotions provided each week, the idea is to read one devotion each day and then have the weekend to play catch up if needed.
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KEEP A JOURNAL. As you work through this guide, take notes in a journal—a notebook with blank pages—that you can dedicate solely to your IWC preparation. This notebook can be your prayer journal as well as the place you answer the questions posed in each unit. Be sure to write prayer requests, record your day’s experience with God, and document your witnessing encounters. When you re-read your journal at the end of the trip, you will be amazed at your spiritual journey and at God’s faithfulness to answer prayer. We encourage you to take notes in your journal at your group preparation sessions, too. By doing this, you will be able to remember what God is teaching you through your preparation. You will also be able to go back later and see what God was doing in your life as you prepared to be used by Him on your IWC project.
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TACKLE THE MISSION PROJECT HAZARDS. You will be introduced to a “hazard” in each unit that you might encounter on the mission field or in everyday life. A “hazard” is defined as “an unavoidable danger or risk, even though often foreseeable.”3 We encounter hazards in our Christian lives quite often. Anything that attempts to pull us away from God or promotes itself as more important than God is as much a hazard as an unsafe road or a dark path. When you read about these hazards, think about how you can avoid or defeat the hazard when you encounter it in real life.
COMPLETE THE ACTION POINTS. The action points in each unit which will help you apply the week’s theme to your daily life. These activities help you put the content into action and remember what you have read.
LEARN THE MEMORY VERSES. These verses are chosen not only to represent the topic of each week, but to help bolster your personal spiritual growth. Memorize each verse during the week so you can recall the Scripture in a time of temptation or at a witnessing opportunity.
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WATCH THE VIDEOS. A specific video for each unit reinforces the week’s content through real life testimonies of fellow IWC participants. The videos underscore the “All” theme as well as the individual topic. Sometime during the week, visit vimeo.com/iwcstories or scan the QR code provided with your smart phone or tablet device and watch the video that goes along with the unit. As you go through this guide, pray for God to move in your life and use you in mighty ways that you would never dream or imagine! Know that other students all around the country are going through this guide at the same time as you. Pray for them as they, like you, prepare to impact the world with the Gospel through IWC. You don’t know all their names, but God does.
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WHAT’S NEXT AFTER YOUR PROJECT? International World Changers is a program of IMB Students of the International Mission Board (see imbstudents.org). IMB Students offers many opportunities for you to experience missions at the next level. At imbstudents.org/projectsearch, you will find projects all around the world ranging from two weeks to four months in length. As you prepare for this IWC project, pray about what God would have you do next in missions and check out the website for future options for you to further advance God’s mission to the world!
I am also praying for you. Like you, I am preparing to serve on an IWC project and will be leading a team of students from my church. Even though we may not know each other, we are all on the same team, have the same purpose and are carrying out the same mission! May God bless you in your preparation! Want to connect with others involved in IWC? Share your thoughts and experiences while preparing for your project. Join the group at facebook.com/IWCStudents. If you tweet, consider using #IWCALL14 as your hashtag.
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Week 1: ALL OF GOD Key Scripture passages: Exodus 3 and 4 Checklist:
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Research online the people group you will serve and the city/town in which you will minister. S tart a prayer journal (see instructions in the action point below). P ray for your parents and family as they allow you to go on this mission trip. L earn how to say “hello” and “thank you” in the local language where you will serve. P ray for your group leader and adult volunteers for this project.
BURNING BUSH MOMENTS Whenever I talk about God, it is truly difficult to describe Him. God is so mighty, powerful and awesome that it makes Him virtually indescribable. Pastor S.M. Lockridge tried to explain God in a sermon, saying, “Well I will try to describe Him for ya...well, He is indescribable!”4 God is amazing! He is the creator and sustainer of life! He is Alpha and Omega! He is everlasting! He is holy, merciful and gracious! God is love. God is not small,
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15 He is HUGE and yet He desires to have a personal relationship with us. He has a perfect plan and purpose for our lives and He chooses to use us in His mission of redeeming humanity. Part of that mission for you is going on your IWC project. God wants to use you in a mighty way to make Him known to the people at your project. In fact, God calls us to be on this mission for Him every single day of our lives. When we become Christians, our life purpose changes and immediately we are on mission for Him. That’s part of His plan. We get to share the life-changing message of the Gospel with the world— both in our everyday lives and on special projects like your IWC mission trip. God wants to stretch and use you to glorify, honor and make Him known. I call these moments “burning bush” moments. This idea comes right out of Bible in one of my favorite stories, the story of Moses in Exodus chapters 3 and 4. Moses, who is described as a servant of God throughout the entire Bible, had just fled from his home in Egypt because he was wanted for killing one of Pharaoh’s men. One day while he was tending his sheep, God spoke to Moses through a bush that was engulfed by fire, yet did not burn up. Exodus 3:3-4 records Moses’ thoughts: “I will turn aside to see this great sight - why the bush is not burned.” When the LORD saw that he turned aside
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16 to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am!” When I read this story I can’t help but put myself in Moses’ shoes—or sandals. If I were God gives us Moses, I probably would not have “burning bush hung around to moments” when see why the bush He pulls us from was on fire but not burning up, the comfort of our and I definitely everyday lives to would have been spooked if the do something outbush called my of-the-ordinary for name! Not MoHis kingdom. ses...he was interested to see what it was all about.
17 “Burning bush” moments represent God-given detours in our lives. Our big God has marvelous plans for each of us. The path to getting to know all of God often means taking a detour from the track you’re on to get on track with God’s plans. Many people in the Bible ran into God-created detours. For Moses, it was a detour back to the land from which he fled and wished never to return. For Joshua, it was enduring 40 years in the wilderness with the rebellious people of Israel before entering the Promised Land. For David, it was stepping up and saying, “I’ll fight that huge giant.” For Daniel, it was accepting captivity, yet not defiling himself so he could represent God among the pagans of Babylon. For Jonah, it was to go to a foreign land and share God’s Word with a people group he despised. For the disciples, it was leaving everything they had to follow Jesus. For Paul, it was a special encounter with Jesus that stopped his vendetta to persecute Christians and started him on a mission to the nations.
God explained to Moses that He was calling him to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to a special land. He was to be set apart for God’s mission of rescuing His people because God had heard their cries for help. God wanted Moses to commit all his life to this mission. God’s purpose was that all His people would know and love Him after this rescue operation and they would be part of His mission to redeem all mankind.
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I believe you will have your own “burning bush” moments when God will seek you out with a specific mission. You have the choice to ignore the “burning bush” or to “turn aside to see” what is going on, as Moses did. If you do as Moses did, it is likely you will come face to face with God and encounter Him in a way you never have before. I must say, however, that you and I can get so distracted with the stuff of life such as media, friends, school, sports, jobs and comfortable living that even a “burning bush” doesn’t rate our attention. God wants us to know Him and His mission for our lives. He wants to reveal as much of Himself that we can handle through His Word, His people and those “burning bush” moments. God wants all our attention and all our lives. He wants us to seek Him first in all things and allow ourselves to be fully used by Him. One “burning bush” for me came in reading a church bulletin when I was 18. The insert described a mission project with my church in the Philippines. I had never been out of the country or even on an
19 airplane, but I knew that I was supposed to go on that project. It was an unforgettable feeling. On that project my eyes were opened to just how BIG our God is and the extent of His love for all people. I experienced God like never before and saw Him change lives in a completely different way than I had ever seen. Almost every year after that first project I have been somewhere around the world sharing His truth and love with those that have never heard it. I “turned aside and looked” at a seemingly innocent piece of paper and God caught all my attention. He gave me a global vision of His work on that first project and it has radically changed me and my walk with Him. Burning bush moments look different for each of us. Don’t take these opportunities for granted. Be on the alert for a burning bush. When it comes, turn aside to look to hear God speak. Allow God to use you in mighty ways to impact the world with the life-altering message of the Gospel.
MISSION PROJECT HAZARD There is a story about a man stranded on an island and needing rescue. He prayed and asked God to rescue him, and as he waited, a plane flew over the island. The man did not signal it. Then a boat sailed by the island, but the man did not signal it, either. Later, a helicopter flew over the island and still the man refused to signal it. He was steadfast in waiting on God to save him even to the moment of his death.
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20 In heaven, the man confronted God and asked, “Why didn’t you rescue me?’ God answered, “I sent an airplane, a boat and then a helicopter to save you. Why did you not signal them?” The man on the island had in his mind that God would act in a certain way. When God acted differently from his expectation, he completely missed God’s provision. So too you must be careful not to set your expectations Let God against God’s plans for your life— be God, both your day-to-day agenda and your plans for the future. You must otherwise be ready to let God be bigger than He will be you currently know. God’s ways are too small. higher than yours. As you prepare for this mission project, recognize that God is in control and has plans for your life that you know nothing about. Put your own plans on the shelf and allow Him to guide your preparation. You will never be disappointed in the outcome of following God’s plans.
21 This week, list in your journal any “burning bush” moments in your life. Take some time and review your life. Ask God to remind you of such a time. After writing down the experience, evaluate how you responded. • Did you “turn aside and look”? What did you learn about the bigness of God? About His character? What did you learn by listening to and obeying God? • Did you “turn aside and run”? What made you turn and run? What did you learn about God’s character by running away from Him? What would you do differently if you had the encounter again? • How can you be ready for “burning bush” moments in the future?
ACTION POINT Plan to use a journal throughout your preparation for your mission project, especially in working through these devotions. Grab a notebook with blank pages to use as a place for you to write your answers to the questions in the actions points, record your prayers (and the answers!) and write your questions or fears about God, faith and the mission trip.
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MEMORY VERSE “Do you not know? Have you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to His understanding. He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless” Isaiah 40:28-29 (HCSB).
WATCH THE VIDEO George Chumley is a young man who had plans for his life. Through some major life events and tough sacrifices, he discovered that God had greater plans for him. Watch the All of God video at vimeo.com/79909099.
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WEEK 1 DEVOTIONS Day 1
Key Scripture passages: Exodus 3 and 4 Note: At the beginning of each devotion in this book there are some questions for you to consider. I encourage you to write down the answers to these questions in your journal. Then, after you have finished reading the devotion, write in your journal the main lesson you learned and what you plan to apply to your life. Read Exodus chapters 3 and 4. • What were some of Moses’ excuses? • What are some excuses that you have given God when He has called you to a specific task? • Regarding your mission project, what excuses, if any, have you been tempted to use as a reason for why you should not go? This story details just one of the many times God spoke to Moses and gave him specific directions. Wouldn’t it be great if God spoke directly to you so you knew exactly what He wanted you to do? Even though Moses clearly understood God, responding to God wasn’t easy. “Yes, Lord, I’ll go,” didn’t roll off his tongue. Instead, Moses gave many excuses. For each excuse, though, God provided ways for Moses to overcome the obstacles.
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24 God does speak to us, but not necessarily in the ways we would prefer. We must be careful to listen for times where God is speaking directly to us and giving us a command or direction. Oswald Chambers writes, “When any duty presents itself, we hear God’s voice as Our Lord heard His Father’s voice, and we are ready for it with all the alertness of our love for Him.”5 Rather than handing God excuses, as Moses did, we must also trust that He is big enough to provide for us and take care of any concerns that we have. PRAYER Pray through Philippians 4:4-9, asking God to take away any worries or concerns you have about this mission project. Use the actual words from the verse and speak them back to God in prayer. Praise Him for being in control of your life and for being the Great Provider.
Day 2
Key Scripture passage: Habakkuk 3:17-19 • What are some complaints you have mentioned to God? •W hat are some things that bring great joy in your life?
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25 Read Habakkuk 3:17-19. We all complain. Complaining is in our nature because we can’t always get our way and we don’t like that! In the small Old Testament book of Habakkuk, the prophet Habakkuk is complaining, or lamenting, to God about the wickedness of the people in his day. Throughout his lament, he still finds ways to acknowledge the greatness of God, which is something I sometimes fail to do when I complain to God. What about you? Habakkuk lived in hard times, but eventually reached the end of his complaints and gave glory to the Lord. By the end of the book, Habakkuk is convinced that God is sovereign and that His justice is far beyond comprehension.6 Ultimately, Habakkuk realized that he would be in a tougher situation if it were not for God; it is God who truly gives him strength and joy. God led Habakkuk to understand that there would be no quick fix or temporary answer for his or the world’s problems; ultimately God would give Himself. You and I have much for which to be thankful, even when we are in the midst of tough times. In comparison with most of the rest of the world, we are wealthy. For example, each day we struggle with what to eat, not if we eat. Habakkuk reminds us that it is the Lord who gives us all that we have and, more than that, He gives us all of Himself. To put it another way: when you have God, you have everything. Without God, you have nothing.
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26 PRAYER Ask God to forgive you for complaining. He has blessed you with so much. Even when the world seems to be crashing down on you, He is still faithful and loves you deeply. Ask God to help find your joy in Him and share that joy with others.
Day 3
Key Scripture passage: Daniel 1 • Have you ever found yourself in a situation when it was hard to stand up for your belief in God? •D id you trust God in that situation? Read Daniel 1. The story in Daniel chapter 1 is of a young man and his friends who stood up for their convictions in a country where being counter-cultural was not customary—and certainly not encouraged. By refusing the royal diet, the young men protected themselves from being defiled by the Babylonian food and culture and reminded themselves at every meal that they were God’s people and set apart for God’s plan.7 These young men were seeking to know all of God and they were not willing to follow anyone’s will except His.
27 with others in ways Daniel never would have thought possible. I am sure that Daniel never would have dreamed that he would become one of the King’s top servants and interpret dreams that were sent from God. Daniel’s devotion to God, even in the setting of exile, became an avenue for God to show Himself as the One True God to King Nebuchadnezzar. Just like Daniel and his friends, choosing to embrace all of God’s will for us, will probably lead us into conflict with our culture and even with authority figures. Like Daniel, we can trust that God will be enough—our all, no matter the circumstances. If we don’t give in to the pressures of this world, God will direct our paths and use us in ways we never could imagine! PRAYER Praise God for difficult times in your life when He has guided and directed your steps. Ask God to help you rely on all His strength and stand true to His Word in the midst of social and cultural pressures. Ask God to use you in times of difficulty for His glory and honor.
This story encourages me because it shows that in whatever situation we find ourselves, if we choose to stand up for truth, God will get the glory. In Daniel’s case, God got the glory and used it to share His truth
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Day 4
Key Scripture passages: Genesis 1 and 2; John 1 • How have you seen God’s power in your life? •W hat have you seen in the world that is a reflection of God’s majesty?
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Day 5
Key Scripture passage: Acts 9 • Have you ever felt that there was absolutely no way God could use you? • Have you ever thought that a person was too far gone for God to save?
Read Genesis 1 and 2 and John 1. Read Acts 9. Sometimes it is good to be reminded of God’s majesty and power. Nature has a way of helping with this. These Scripture passages describe the power God displayed when He created the universe. Creation, in turn, displays the majesty of God. Visible displays of God’s amazing bigness are not far away. The night sky is a reminder that the universe is full of millions of galaxies and countless billions of stars, each one He calls by name (Psalm 147:4). The microscope in your school biology lab lets you see immense detail and complexity in the smallest of things. Today, take time to reflect on God as Creator and Master. As you ponder God’s greatness, write in your journal what it means for you to know this big God personally and for Him to call you by name. PRAYER Praise God for His power and majesty. Using your answers to the questions, praise God for the power and majesty He has displayed in your life.
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Paul’s story in Acts 9 is a classic one of God taking the “worst of sinners” (Paul’s words) and totally turning his world upside down. I am always amazed when I read this part of Paul’s testimony. The Book of Acts records that even veteran Christians were astonished that Paul, a killer and persecutor of Christians, was now teaching in the synagogues and testifying that Jesus was the Christ! Oswald Chambers writes, “By the miracle of redemption Saul of Tarsus was turned in one second from a strongwilled, intense Pharisee into a humble, devoted slave of the Lord Jesus.”8 In Paul’s story we are reminded of the massive saving power of God and how transforming it truly is. When Paul got a good look at the risen and glorified Jesus Christ, that was it for him—there was no going back! I have witnessed this kind of transformation in my years of ministry and it never gets old. Those of us who have glimpsed the all of Christ have also experienced some of that power personally. As the classic song Amazing Grace goes, “I once was lost, but now I am found. Was blind, but now I see!”
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30 It is not a difficult thing for God to totally transform the life of a hardened sinner. We should be mindful that God doesn’t ask us to change people, but simply to point them to Himself—we are to know Him and make Him known. As Paul was transformed by seeing Jesus, so we can be renewed and changed by looking to Him as well. Then we can be sent out into the world to be shining lights for Him so others will look to Jesus. Be encouraged by Paul’s life-altering story that you are special to God and He wants to use you to share His all with the world. PRAYER Give thanks to the Lord for your salvation! Pray that God would use you as His instrument, not only on your IWC mission project, but also on your mission field at home. God has you in a context (i.e. school, job, sports team, friends, family, etc.) so you can glorify Him and make Him known. Ready, set, go!
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Week 2: ALL OF ME Key Scripture passage: Exodus 32 Checklist:
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Sign and have witnessed the IWC participant covenant. P ray for each member of your team. G et the immunizations recommended for your project (if any). W rite out your testimony (1. My life before Christ, 2. How I realized my need for Christ, 3. How I gave my life to Christ, 4. The difference Christ makes in my life now). F ind an accountability partner (see instructions below in the mission project hazard).
AMERICAN IDOLATRY Idolatry has always been an extreme issue in this world. People make idols out of anything and everything. An idol is anything that we put above our relationship with and worship of God (Exodus 20:3-6). When a missionary took a foreign friend on a tour of the USA, the two naturally began to talk about American culture. After driving past several sports stadiums, the visitor asked the missionary, “What gods are worshipped in those temples?” The missionary described the country’s pastime for certain sports and some of the fanfare that went on
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in the stadiums. The visitor responded, “Why do believers in your country not get that excited about Jesus?” Idolatry is a sin. God is incensed when we put less worthy things above Him in our affections. He desires that we devote all of who we are and all of what we do to Him and Him alone. This is what He desired from the Israelites, especially after He saved them from slavery in Egypt. The Israelites had other things on their minds, though.
God desires that we devote all of who we are and all of what we do to Him and Him alone.
In Exodus 32, the Israelites were camped in the desert, wondering when they would get to the Promised Land. Moses went up on a mountain to receive God’s commandments and he was gone so long the people became impatient and thought he had died. They went to Aaron, Moses’ spokesperson, and told him to “make us gods who will go before us” (v. 1). Aaron gave in to the people and told them to bring him all of their gold jewelry. From the jewelry, he made an idol in the form of a golden calf. The people praised the idol, made sacrifices to it and gave it credit for bringing them out of Egypt (vv. 4-6). God saw their devotion turn from Him to the idol and became angry. He notified Moses that the people had become corrupt and had begun to worship idols (vv. 7-8). God wanted to wipe them out and create a new chosen people from Moses, but Moses pleaded with God on their behalf and the Lord relented. Moses went back down the mountain and rebuked Aaron and the people of Israel. The main issue in this story is a problem with pride. I once heard a preacher call pride the “pregnant lady of all sin.” What he meant was that all sin is a result of pride. Essentially, pride is when we think we know better than anyone else—even God—about how to live life. We rely on our own judgment and then begin to desire and worship whatever our judgment says we need—power, money, position, people, etc. From pride, the worship of idols is born into our lives, just like the story in Exodus 32.
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34 The story of the Israelites’ idolatry was a major detour on the road to the Promised Land. Even though God had rescued His people from Egypt, many still did not fully trust Him. When He began to reveal His commandments to them so they would know what it meant to follow Him with all their lives, they were looking for alternatives. Notice, however, the order of things. God saved them first and then called them to worship and obey Him. The question then became, would they truly trust God and His salvation or not? Only when we give all our lives to God do we have the power—His power—to follow Him. In other words, in order to fully obey God, we must first place all our faith and trust in Him. When we do this, we are moved to be humbly obedient to God’s commands and to sacrifice our own petty dreams and desires to become a sold-out disciple. Being a disciple is costly. It costs us all our plans, ambitions and dreams. Pastor and author David Platt states, “God transforms disciples from the inside out which makes the Christian life not an organized duty but an overwhelming delight.”9 As God transforms your “insides”—your heart, soul and mind—you become delighted with God’s plans and dreams for you. Psalm 37:4 puts it this way, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” When we delight ourselves in Him, He becomes our identity (Colossians 3:4) which means we bring in line all our heart’s
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35 desires to match His desires. Becoming a disciple means we imitate Jesus, carry on His ministry and become like Him in the process.10 When we do this, God controls all our lives. In the book, Transformational Discipleship, the authors say that disciples are made when the people of God engage in the mission of God through the Spirit of God.11 That’s The best you can exactly what you will be do is nothing com- doing on your mission trip—being on mission pared to the best with God and sharing God can do through the Gospel through you. Ask Him what the power of the Holy Spirit. As you work He dreams of, then through this devotion pour your heart into guide and all the other preparation activities it. (Mattie Montgomery to get ready to go on @TodayMattie) mission, you are in the process of becoming a sold-out disciple. On your project, you will be going to another country as a disciple of Jesus seeking to make more disciples (Matthew 28:19). You aren’t going to spread the glory of the United States, designer clothes, sports teams or any other idols. You will serve in the name of Jesus Christ a people that may not know anything about Christ and His work on
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36 the cross. You will be His mouthpiece and His masterpiece of salvation. If you currently give more of your devotion and attention to idols in your life than to Jesus, count the cost right now and smash the power of your idols. Give all your life to God so He can give you the desires of your heart. Then, go boldly on your mission trip and expect great things!
MISSION PROJECT HAZARD Idolatry is a huge hazard on a mission project. The sin of loving something or someone more than God will hinder you from accomplishing what God wants you to do. God wants all your life and love. In your journal, make a list of the idols in your life that As you you need to get rid of so prepare for you can fully focus on God. Below that list, write action this project, steps showing how you you must will get rid of them so destroy the all your focus is on the Lord, His Word and His idols in your mission. Finally, pick an life. accountability partner who will ask you how you are accomplishing these action steps. (An accountability partner is typically someone of the same sex who is older than you in age and more experienced in following Christ.) Meet with your partner each week between now
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37 and when you leave for the trip to talk about your progress in destroying your idols and becoming and all-out disciple of Christ. You have God’s power within you to destroy the sin of idolatry. God will help you give all your life to Him if you ask Him for help. Once an idol is no longer in your life, take a big black marker and mark through that idol as a symbol of it being defeated and thank Jesus for His power over sin!
ACTION POINT Covenants are important throughout God’s Word. A covenant is “an oath-bound promise whereby one party solemnly pledges to bless or serve another party in some specified way.”12 Sometimes one person must do (or not do) certain things in order for the other person to keep the promise. Sometimes the promise is kept no matter what. That’s called an unconditional covenant. IWC offers a covenant for you to sign as part of the IWC mission project. If you are with a group, see your group leader about this. If you are coming to the project without a group, see the covenant in your Individual Participant’s Notebook. Far more important than any covenant IWC can provide, though, is the one God has made in giving you salvation through Jesus Christ. In your journal, write a covenant between you and God about getting rid of the idols in your life. Include in the covenant ways you can be a better disciple for the Lord. Make
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38 a second copy of the covenant and give it to your accountability partner. Go over the covenant with your accountability partner and both of you sign it. Then ask your partner to hold you accountable to the covenant by checking with you at your meeting each week to see if you are sticking to your part of the promise.
MEMORY VERSE “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths” Proverbs 3:5-6 (HCSB).
WATCH THE VIDEO When it comes to following God, He wants all of us. This quick video shows what God desires from us as His disciples so that He has full control of our lives. Watch the All of Me video at vimeo.com/79909100.
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WEEK 2 DEVOTIONS Day 1
Key Scripture passage: Exodus 20:1-17 • Have you ever stuck with and completed a “to do” list? • Have you ever treated the Ten Commandments as a list of “to do’s” and “do not’s?” Read Exodus 20:1-17. Often the Ten Commandments are viewed as the ultimate list of do’s and don’ts. They certainly are important moral standards that God has given us and He expects us to live by them, but checking them off each day does not make you an all-star Christian. The Ten Commandments are a list of behaviors that God gave Moses to share with the people of Israel. They are a list of behaviors that reveal God’s character. “[Through] the Ten Commandments, true theology and true worship, the name of God and the Sabbath, family honor, life, marriage, and property, truth and virtue are well protected.”13 By looking at the Ten Commandments, we get a glimpse of who God really is. They are a means to know Him better. When we live an “All of Me” life, we naturally live out the Ten Commandments because giving God our all moves us to follow His ways and know Him intimately. Don’t obey the Ten
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Commandments just to mark your “spiritual check-list” or so you can get an “Awesome Christian” sticker in Sunday School. Strive to obey them so you can know God in a more intimate way.
Christ, the only acceptable worship is to offer themselves completely to the Lord.”14 This daily sacrifice of all our lives and renewal of our minds is not easy. My struggle with sacrifice makes me think about our brothers and sisters around the world who
PRAYER Pray for God to help you know and understand Him more. Make a commitment to God to not just obey His Word to mark off a spiritual checklist, but to know Him more.
sacrifice all that they have, sometimes even their lives, for the privilege of following Christ.
Day 2
Key Scripture passage: Romans 12:1-2 • How does American culture try to get us to conform to its philosophies and purposes? • In your own words, what does it mean to worship God with all you are? Read Romans 12:1-2. These few verses show us what it means to give God all of who we are. Paul, the writer of Romans, urges believers to give all their lives to God. He appeals to us to stop living by the world’s standards so we can live fully for God. We must sacrifice our old habits of pursuing success by the world’s standards and, instead, worship God with all that we are and all that we do. In order to do that, we must renew our minds daily by reading and thinking about God’s Word so we get to know all of God. As we get to know God, we become like Him. John McArthur says, “For those in
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On your mission project, you will likely meet missionaries and local believers who give their lives daily as a living sacrifice. Don’t put them on a pedestal because they are still human beings who make common, everyday mistakes. Know, however, that they are committed to sacrificing all their lives to Christ every day. Renewing their minds through God’s Word has become a daily habit and love for them. I encourage you to spend as much time as you can with them during your mission project. Learn from them and encourage them in their spiritual walk, just as they will encourage you. PRAYER Pray for God to daily transform you through His Word and to give you a love for studying the Bible. Ask Him to give you strength to stand firm when temptations assault you. Pray for the courage to confess your sins and weaknesses to your accountability partner so your brother/sister in Christ can help you have a clear conscience before the Lord and walk in victory with Him (Hebrews 9:14).
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Day 3
Key Scripture passage: Daniel 3 • Have you ever had a difficult time standing for God in the midst of pressures from friends, family or other authority figures in your life? •A re you willing to take a stand for God if it costs your life? Why or why not? Read Daniel 3. Three young men stood up for their beliefs and convictions, and though they had a death threat hanging over them, they still did not bow to an idol. John MacArthur says about this story, “Enemies of God’s servants witnessed such a clear-cut testimony that they were in no doubt about their…unshakeable allegiance to the God of Israel.”15 The three young men explained to the king why they would not bow to another god and then announced their faith and confidence in their God. “They were unwilling to follow any orders that would mean compromising their faith.”16 They were committed to following God with all their lives, even to death. All over the world today there are people who stand up for God in the face of danger and death. They are unashamed and understand that God is with them in the midst of the persecution. They consider it joy to suffer as Christ suffered and they are humbled that God counts them worthy to suffer as Christ did. Their faith is strong and worth replicating in our own lives.
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43 It is very possible that the national believers where you are going to serve on your mission project have made this stand and have suffered much. When you meet these believers, get to know them. You will bless them tremendously with your faith in God’s love for their people and, in turn, you will be blessed. PRAYER Ask God to give you the strength to stand up for Him daily. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world who love God and stand for His truth in the face of persecution and even death.
Day 4
Key Scripture passage: Philippians 3:10 • What does knowing Christ look like for you daily as a believer? Read Philippians 3:10. Paul wrote passionately to the believers in Philippi, telling them such things that he considered all of his worldly status and earnings as loss when compared to knowing Christ. In verse 10, he shares what a true follower of Christ should be about: knowing Christ. Here are a few thoughts on this verse: • “Paul’s emphasis here is on gaining a deeper knowledge of and intimacy with Christ.”17 •“ The spiritual saint never believes circumstances to be haphazard…he sees everything he is dumped down in as the means of securing the knowledge of Jesus Christ.”18
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44 • “The real God longs to have a close relationship with us, and that closeness will mean a greater understanding and heart connection with the feelings of Jesus.”19 In One on One with God, Jerry and Marilyn Fine explain that Paul shows us that we can know God in four ways: progressively, deeply, intimately, and personally.20 This is how we can fully know Christ and, in turn, be a sold-out disciple. All of me for all of Him for all my life. In your journal, write down all of your scheduled activities for today, including casual interactions with teacher, coaches, friends, parents, etc. Think about each activity/encounter and record in your journal how each one was the means through which you could know Jesus better. PRAYER Tell Jesus how much you want to get to know Him so you can passionately and devoutly follow Him. Ask Him for strength and courage to make the commitment to daily know Him more and share with others how they can know Him as well.
Day 5
Key Scripture passage: Philippians 2:5-11 • What do you think of the saying, “Attitude is everything?” Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
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45 Read Philippians 2:5-11. Attitude is a big deal. On your mission project, your outlook will not only make or break your mission trip; it can affect your entire team. Will you be selfish or sacrificial? When it comes to attitude, Paul is clear in Philippians 2: your attitude should be like Christ. He had every reason to walk this earth as its rightful and glorified King, but He chose to come first as a humble bondservant. “Jesus lived His life as the ultimate example of selfless humility. If we truly let Christ’s mind be in our mind and we think His thoughts, we will understand . . . that it is God working in us to do His good pleasure.”21 Paul encourages us to see people as Christ sees them and treat them as He would. On your mission project, there may be some days when it will be hard to adopt Christ’s attitude. No one ever said following Christ was easy or something you could do in your own power. In those times, ask God to give you the power to have the attitude of Christ so that others will see Jesus in you. Each time you push aside your own attitude and adopt Christ’s attitude, you become more like Him. PRAYER Pray that God would give you reminders each day to live your life as Christ would, treat others as He would and have an attitude like Christ so that He gets the most glory in your life.
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Week 3: ALL THE WORLD Key Scripture passage: Exodus 11 Checklist:
r r r
r r
Write a prayer of repentance. W ork on memorizing the Bible verses from this devotion guide. T ry to meet someone locally from the country/people group you will serve at the project. M eet with your accountability partner. C heck that you are paid up for the trip so far.
GLOBAL GOD According to the Joshua Project, there are 16,789 total people groups in the world and almost 7,300 of those people groups are unreached.22 So, roughly 43 percent of all the world has not heard about Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross. When you think about God loving all the world, do any Bible verses come to mind?
47 God’s purpose for sending His Son as well as His vision for the world. Our God is a God who loves everyone in the world, wants to have a relationship with them and wants them to make His name known around the world. God wants to be known and praised by all the nations and He alone is worthy of the worship of everyone in the world. This is evident in the story of the people of Israel from Exodus. As we’ve seen in Roughly 43 previous weeks, the saga percent of the began with God calling entire world Moses to lead the Israelites out from the grip of has no idea an arrogant, self-righteous who Jesus Egyptian leader who had enslaved God’s chosen Christ is. people. God used Moses in mighty ways to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, even sending plagues over the land of Egypt to show that He is the Only True God and Pharaoh is not. God desired for Pharaoh to acknowledge Him as God, but proud Pharaoh thought of himself as a god and would not give in until the final plague in which his son died (Exodus 11-12).
Perhaps you are thinking of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” It’s the entire Gospel in one verse. It tells
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The death of his heir to the Egyptian throne seemed to convince Pharaoh. He finally ordered Moses and the Israelites to leave Egypt so his land would have peace. The Israelites headed out toward the Red Sea, but Pharaoh changed his mind about losing all his slaves. He sent his army after the Israelites to bring them back.
the earlier covenant God made with Abraham to create a great nation from Abraham’s descendants. That
The Israelites were trapped between the Red Sea and the approaching Egyptian army. God miraculously parted the waters so the Israelites could cross on dry land, but the water flooded back when Pharaoh and his army entered the sea bed. The mightiest army at that time in the ancient world was wiped out that day, drowned in the Red Sea. God had foretold the event to Moses, saying that He would gain glory over Pharaoh and all Egypt would know that He was God because He delivered the Israelites from Pharaoh’s army (Exodus 14).
We must leave our comfort zones & selfish desires behind to engage God in His mission for lost sheep.
Egypt was the superpower of the ancient world at the time of the exodus. God sent a message, not just to the Egyptians, but to many other lands and peoples, that He had delivered His chosen people. Wherever the Israelites were to go, they would encounter people who had heard of the God who had protected and provided for His people. In Exodus 34:10, God made a covenant with Moses and the people of Israel that would ultimately impact all the world and show all peoples how awesome He and His work are. That covenant actually was a reminder of
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nation (people group) would bless all the world with the knowledge of God (Genesis 12:2-3). We know now through hindsight that the blessing that came to the world through them was salvation through Jesus Christ. Our God is a global God. He cares for and loves all the people of the world. We see this truth throughout the Bible in stories about Jonah, Daniel, David, the disciples, Paul and many others. Now, God involves people like us in carrying out His mission to reach the world.
I pray you will see God do amazing things in the lives (Afshin Ziafat of people who do not look, @ afshinziafat) live, or talk like you. I recall attending a church service with the Roma people while serving in Cluj, Romania. Our field representative (missionary) took our group to church with him. We were warned that the Roma church services do not look like our services in America, often running three hours or longer, with at least one hour allotted each to prayer, singing and preaching!
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50 Going into the service, I admit I was not looking forward to three-plus hours of a church service. When it started with an hour of prayer, I was convicted to ask God to forgive me for my attitude. I was completely blown away at how seriously our Roma brothers and sisters in Christ took prayer. I was amazed at how they spent that time shouting their requests to God and allowing time for Him to respond. Going into the musical worship time, I was even more amazed. I stood beside a lady who could not carry a tune in a bucket, but she shouted and made her joyful noise to the Lord because she was worshipping and singing her praises to her Audience of One! Then I was speechless as the pastor boldly preached the Word. It was easy to tell that he loved and knew the Word of God. The Roma believers modeled genuine and authentic worship. It is an experience that I will never forget and will be challenged by forever. B.J. Higgins, a teenager who loved Christ with all of his life, served in Peru on a mission project and later died because of a sickness that he picked up while he was there. His parents wrote a book about his life and included different journal entries from their son. The entry entitled “Milk” states: “Just as God called Moses to go to Egypt and deliver the Israelites, God called you to go to all nations and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:19, the Great Commission. God wants you - not just preachers and deacons - but you as well to go and tell the world about him. God
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51 desires to use you for his glory. When you are out there telling the unsaved, don’t worry about the words, for God will give you a passion and the words to say. Let this give you confidence as you approach the world with the gospel of Christ.”23 On your mission project, I hope you will see believers who crave God’s Word and have given up everything to surrender their lives to Christ. It is while serving God outside your own culture that you might get more of a hint of God as a global God. You will likely worship alongside local believers, sing songs in their native languages, and share some of your own in your native language. It won’t confuse God a bit. It is all worship of our one and only Creator God. This is just a glimpse of the worship of heaven. It is the best experience of life to be used by God to make His salvation known and to see people surrender all to Christ. I have witnessed God truly working all over the world, loving and saving people. There is still much work to be done, however, and that’s where you come in.
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MISSION PROJECT HAZARD What can be really difficult in an international mission project is crossing cultures. For many people, this is the big part of leaving their comfort zone. It may seem like a little thing now, but something like dealing with unfamiliar food can become a mission hazard. The fear of foreign food can even put a dent in your witness. If you don’t like (or think you won’t like) the food, you will be tempted not to eat or to eat only snack/junk food. Both “solutions” to the food problem will make you tired and cranky at best and sick at worst, which will exclude you from ministry. To help overcome the fear of foreign food, eat at an authentic international restaurant while you are still in the States. Go to a restaurant that takes you out of your comfort zone—not the standard Mexican or Italian eatery. At the restaurant, tell your waiter that you are going to another country for a visit and want to learn to try new foods. Ask what menu item is really authentic to the people of that nationality and try that item. Try to get to know your server and ask about his or her life. If the server is from another country, ask for help in learning a word or two in his or her native language. Use the opportunity to briefly explain your trip and ask for the opportunity to pray for the server. If the server offers you a prayer request, be ready for the opportunity to engage in a Gospel conversation. Remember that you are a witness in that restaurant as much as when you are on the mission field. Be careful not to make strange faces after trying the food or
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53 make unkind comments that could be overheard. On the mission field, there may be times when your meal does not look or taste good but you will have to eat it merely to be polite! Let this encounter with foreign cuisine prepare you for food you will encounter on your mission project.
ACTION POINT If we are not careful, we can put God in our cultural “box.” I call this box the “context box,” meaning that we see God only in our own context, not His true global context. When we put God in the context box, we limit how much He can do because we limit how much we expect of Him and ourselves. For example, if all we see at school is our group of friends, we won’t reach out to meet the needs of the student whose mother is sick with cancer or the international student who just wants one friend in this foreign country. Broaden your context box and release God to be the God of the nations. List in your journal three to five issues that usually are on your prayer list. The issues you list show the typical context through which you view God. Work on broadening your “God context” by using a newspaper to choose a local story, a national story and an international story to pray about this week. Choose stories about people and situations that do not share your cultural or socioeconomic background. Write in your journal some information about the stories you chose, including the names of the people involved.
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MEMORY VERSE “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” John 3:16-17 (HCSB).
WATCH THE VIDEO From the very beginning of the Bible, we see that our God is a global God who asks His followers to carry the Gospel to every tribe and nation around the world. That may seem like an extreme calling to some people, but this video will challenge you to view our mission as a blessing, not a burden! Watch the All the World video at vimeo.com/79909763.
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WEEK 3 DEVOTIONS Day 1
Key Scripture passage: John 3:16-17 • Do you remember how old you were when you first learned John 3:16? • Why do you think that this verse is so familiar to many people? Read John 3:16-17. John 3:16 it is such a familiar verse for many of us that we forget that these are the very words of Jesus. They were very costly words for Him to say, for in these verses He explained to a man named Nicodemus what He came to do for all the world. He had been sent into the world to die for the world. Because of this we can say, “There is no one who is beyond the love of God. In a culture where bad news is very commonplace, this is incredibly Good News. God’s love is the most powerful form of love a person will ever experience.”24 Another mistake we make when we talk about John 3:16 is that we often forget about the verse that follows it. Read John 3:17. Verse 17 gives just as much hope as John 3:16! Many people think God is ready to zap them for their bad behavior, yet Jesus says that He did not come to condemn the world, but to save it. If we follow Jesus, we
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56 find salvation, not condemnation.25 This is the message we carry into the world...that Jesus came to save the world, not to condemn it. Take this message to your family, your school and around the world to your mission project. PRAYER Pray for God to prepare the hearts of those you will witness to on your IWC project. Opportunities will come even as you travel to and from your project. Be looking for them! Ask God to give you strength and wisdom in your sharing.
Day 2
Key Scripture passage: Jonah 3:10 • How would you react if someone to whom you witnessed was openly hostile to the Gospel? Read Jonah 3:10. The story of Jonah is intriguing. God gave him a mission, but he ran away from God—as if he could really do that. He found himself in a couple of...um...difficult situations and then finally obeyed God. Jonah was an Israelite—one of God’s chosen people. God sent him to witness to the Ninevites, a nation whom the Israelites hated. Jonah thought God should hate the Ninevites, too, but he learned that God loved them and wanted them to love and know Him. Through Jonah, we are reminded that God has a global mission and wants all nations to trust in Him.
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57 Jonah 3:10 shows us what can happen when we are God’s servants and His mouthpieces to a lost and dying world. “In response to Jonah’s preaching, all the Ninevites—from king to peasant—fell on their faces in humble repentance. When the nasty Ninevites turned their hearts to God, He had compassion on them and did not destroy them. Jonah became the instrument by which God orchestrated one of the greatest revivals in history.”26 Jonah learned that salvation is not limited to special select people. God loves even the nastiest of people. God has asked us to tell all people that His salvation is available to them. “[God] hates all sin! Repentance changes God’s mind. When we repent and confess, He forgives and reconciles us to Himself because of the sacrifice of Jesus.”27 Salvation is for all and comes only through faith and trust in Jesus Christ. On the mission field, you may minister to people who are hostile to the Gospel. Love those people and show compassion to them as God would. Like Jonah, you are His instrument to bring the message of salvation, so allow Him to use you and see the people you are working with through His eyes. PRAYER Ask God to give you the ability to see people through His eyes and love them the way He does.
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Day 3
Key Scripture passage: Matthew 5:14-16 • If you were arrested and tried for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Why or why not? Read Matthew 5:14-16. Jesus tells us we are the light of the world. We are called to shine the light of Christ through our lives into all the world. We should shine the light of the Gospel so brightly that it will not go unnoticed, just as a city on a hill can be seen from far away. The world may not know whose light we are shining, but getting their attention may give us the chance to tell them about the light and love of Christ. “Jesus is the life source for which they are searching, and we are His reflection! He has chosen us to be that small amount of light that will guide those who need a guide to get to Him.”28 The differences others see in our lives give us opportunities to witness for Christ and give God all of the glory, honor and praise! “A godly life gives convincing testimony of the saving power of God which brings Him glory.”29 When you are on your mission project, your life will be very different from the lives of the local people. Let the greatest difference not come from your American culture or clothes. Let the greatest different shine clearly as the love of Christ in you.
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59 PRAYER Pray that God would use you as a light in the spiritually dark areas around you at home and school. Lighting up the darkness where you are will prepare you to shine brightly and clearly in a culture you don’t understand.
Day 4
Key Scripture passage: Matthew 28:16-20 • Do you see yourself as a missionary for God on your school campus? Why or why not? Read Matthew 28:16-20. This passage is known as the Great Commission where Jesus commands us to evangelize, baptize and disciple people from all nations. This includes our neighbors, friends, family and people groups all over the world. Many people think Jesus was stating a new idea when He gave the Great Commission to His disciples. In fact, He was simply restating what God had said to Abram back in Genesis 12 about God’s people being a blessing to all other people groups on earth (Genesis 12:3). The idea of God sending His people to bless all other peoples with the knowledge of Him is called the missio Dei, literally “the sending of God,” or “the purposeful program of God.”30 As a Christian, you are part of the missio Dei right now, right where you are. You will also be part of it while
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60 you are serving at the “ends of the earth” on your mission project. Jesus promised that He will always be with us while we live out the mission He has given us. We can be confident that He will guide, direct and give us opportunities to show His grace and love through our lives. The missio Dei is not just something we do when we go on a mission trip; it is a daily commitment that we live as we go about each day. PRAYER Pray that every day God would bring people your way that you can evangelize and disciple. Ask God to open your eyes to the nations of the world around you at school and in your community and pray for understanding of how to get to know them with the hope of sharing the Gospel.
Day 5
Key Scripture passage: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 • Describe in your own words what an ambassador does. • In your journal, list ways you do for Christ the actions you listed above. Read 2 Corinthians 5:14-21.
61 represent Him in everything, sharing the message of God’s love and salvation at every opportunity. (Paul calls sharing this message the “ministry of reconciliation.”) You are also to represent God in this world. Since people can’t see God, He sends us to show them His character and tell them about His salvation. Through our words and actions, we represent to the world Christ’s work on the cross. As you go on mission to your host country, you will automatically reflect American culture because of how you dress and talk. Those issues will also make you a positive or negative ambassador for Christ. The people group to whom you minister may have no idea who Jesus is or what He has done for them. You are His ambassador, stationed there for a week to show them God’s character and to tell them about His salvation. Don’t take this assignment lightly; it is an exciting opportunity and calling! PRAYER Ask God to remind you each day that you are His ambassador on this earth. Pray that your life would reflect Christ in everything.
Ambassadors are people stationed by their government in a foreign country with the assignment to represent their home country in everything. They are their country’s voice in the foreign land. In the same way, we are ambassadors of Christ in this world. God has stationed you where you live so you can
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Week 4: ALL OF THE BIBLE Key Scripture passage: Deuteronomy 6:4-6 Checklist:
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Thank everyone who has helped to cover the cost of your trip. P ray for the people group to whom you’ll minister. D o a service project for someone in your church as preparation for this trip. M ake two copies each of your passport ID page and your visa (if required). R ead the IWC dress code and write out a packing list.
NOT JUST A BOOK The Bible is God’s Word to us. It tells us who He is, what His mission is and how He will accomplish the mission through us. Throughout all the Bible, one theme is consistent: God is constantly working to redeem humanity.
63 In Deuteronomy 6:5-6, Moses listed the starting point of following God and His commands: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.” Do these verses sound familiar? Jesus quotes them when He tells about the Greatest God has not Commandment stopped being (Matthew 22:35-38). According to both Jesus God. His Word, and Moses, we are to the Bible, is not love the Lord with all just an old book of our being. When we do this, we replace about what God our own desires, goals and dreams with God’s used to do! passions, goals and Nik Ripken @NikRipken dreams for us. We begin to view the Bible in a different light because it reveals God’s plans for our lives. Remember, these three words—heart, soul and strength—determine all of who we are and all of what we do.
We get to know God through reading and memorizing His Word. This means we must strive to study the Bible so it becomes part of our identity. Once it becomes a part of who we are, we are able to share it with others naturally, whether at home or traveling internationally.
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Studying and memorizing God’s Word is a good place to begin loving Him with all that you are. When you make the Bible a part of who you are, you will become thoroughly equipped for every Throughout good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It also will give you confidence to share God’s life-changing message of love and redemption in season and out of season. The Bible is very clear that God’s passion and mission is the redemption of the nations, so when we know the Word and we give all our hearts to God, we become driven to be on mission to the nations.
all the Bible, one theme is consistent: God is constantly working to redeem humanity.
In his book, “As You Go,” Alvin Reid explains that a missionary is not defined by geography but rather by his/her mission.31 What is our mission? It is to glorify and honor God with our lives and make Him known to the nations. Our mission is to live the Gospel every single day. As you are challenged and convicted by God’s Word daily, you will be more energized and equipped to go and share God’s message of redemption to the world—both at home and abroad.
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MISSION PROJECT HAZARD One of the biggest hazards to a mission project is being unprepared to talk about or share the Gospel. On your IWC project, there is almost a 100 percent chance that you will have the opportunity to share the Gospel. It could happen as soon as you leave home or the church parking lot for the project. For instance, on every mission project that I have led, I have shared the Gospel with the airline attendants at the check-in counters in the airport. Last year, one of my team members was eating a meal between flights and a stranger starting talking to him. A few minutes later, my team member was sharing the Gospel with this complete stranger in the world’s busiest airport! He was prepared to share because he loved God with all his heart, soul and strength and he loved and knew God’s Word. He also shares his faith at home on a regular basis, so he knew what to say. If we are not sharing the Gospel now, on our “everyday life” mission fields, we will not be prepared to witness on the international mission field. If God’s Word is a part of who you are, it will ooze out of you and you will realize how easy, important, and energizing it is to share it!
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ACTION POINT Have you been through some sort of witnessing training as a Christian? Are you familiar with the “Creation to Christ” approach? You can find it on the Web at imbstudents.org/programs/iwc/347.aspx or scan this QR code: It is easier than you think to learn the 12 brief stories that begin with the One True God, how He lovingly created the universe and what led to His sending His Son into the world as the final answer for sin and evil. The Creation to Christ presentation is good to use with people and situations where there is little knowledge of Scripture or perhaps a different view of God. There are other presentations to consider, such as the Romans Road, and a quick Web search will help list the Scriptures involved. The important thing is that you adopt at least one approach and commit it to memory. You can download the Creation to Christ artwork and use it as a memory aid. Post it where you will regularly see it and practice telling one or more of the brief stories every day. Commit to memory the Bible verses that will help you share what it means to be a Christian. Be sure to understand the context of the verses you are memorizing. Knowing the context will help you better understand the message behind them. Make memorizing these verses a necessary part of your day.
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67 Practice sharing your witnessing approach with your accountability partner and members of your mission team. Encourage each other as you memorize so you all learn it backward and forward. You’ll be surprised how many chances you will have to share these truths with others once they are imprinted on your mind and heart. Write in your journal how you grow in your faith after memorizing these verses and about how you use them to witness. Commit to memorizing Scripture throughout the rest of your life! Just think, if you memorized one verse every week for a year, you would memorize 52 verses in a year. That is more than most people memorize in their entire lives!
MEMORY VERSE “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (HCSB).
WATCH THE VIDEO What does the Word of God mean to you? Do you look forward to reading it? Do you take its message seriously? This short video describes what the Bible is and how we should live by it. Watch the All of the Bible video at vimeo.com/79909105.
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WEEK 4 DEVOTIONS Day 1
Key Scripture passage: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 • Have you ever tried to put something together without using the instruction manual? Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. God’s Word is beautiful, rich and radiant. It contains everything we need in order to live the Christian life to which God has called us. The Bible is an important book for us to read, but we must take it a step further and make it part of all we are and all we do. In 2 Timothy chapter 3, Paul says that knowing Scripture will equip us for every good work. It’s a powerful book that can prepare us for all the good we will ever do in our lives! If someone told you that if you memorize one particular book you would pass every exam ever given to you in your entire academic career, would you read the book? In the Bible, God has basically given us the answer key to every test life will ever hand to us. If you memorize it, internalize it and make it your guide for all your thoughts and behavior, you will pass every test of life.
69 When your life is soaked in the Scripture, you won’t be concerned about passing past life’s tests just for yourself; you will become concerned that others get access to life’s “answer key,” too. Because it tells the story of Jesus, the Bible is the answer key to life and eternity for all people on the planet. Knowing God’s Word gives you a heart for His mission and propels you to offer to others the answer to life’s problems. Once you move His Word from head knowledge into your heart, it becomes part of all you are. Through the Word, we come to know God and understand His calling in our lives. PRAYER Ask God to help you know Him more through His Word. Pray that the Holy Spirit would open your eyes to see truths in Scripture that you have never seen before and to give you opportunities to share those truths with others.
Day 2
Key Scripture passage: Psalm 119:9-11 • What are some ways that you as a believer can remain pure? Read Psalm 119:9-11. Staying pure is critical in your life as a believer, both for your personal walk with Christ and for your witness. Johnny Hunt has said purity “is probably one of the
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70 greatest qualities and characteristics in the Christian life.”32 As the psalmist says, the only way a believer can do this is by making God’s Word a daily part of their lives. Psalm 119:9-11 talks about hiding God’s Word in your heart so that when temptation assaults, you will remember God’s Word and not sin. John MacArthur states, “Internalizing the Word is a believer’s best weapon to defend against encroaching sin.”33 We do this by memorizing Scripture and being ready at all times to fight temptation. PRAYER Pray that God would help you memorize His Word. Ask Him to give you verses to memorize that deal with the issues with which you struggle.
Day 3
Key Scripture passage: Hebrews 4:12 • What is the sharpest thing you have ever used to cut something?
71 protect us from Satan’s attacks or it can pierce hearts with conviction of sin. Through the daily reading of God’s Word, our hearts are continually transformed since it judges all of our thoughts and attitudes. This is why God’s Word is also described as active. “God’s Word is alive with an unbelievable vitality and dynamic that breathes, speaks, pleads and conquers. It includes an energy that produces results.”34 Whenever you read or study the Bible, you always take away greater knowledge of God and yourself that can revitalize your life. PRAYER Pray that God’s Word would penetrate your heart and life so you can know Him more and, thus, live your life for Him.
Day 4
Key Scripture passage: Philippians 1:6, 14 • Who in your life would you describe as a confident person? • What difficult experience, if any, has strengthened your faith in God and your reliance on His Word?
Read Hebrews 4:12.
Read Philippians 1:6, 14.
The Bible is described as a sharp weapon—sharper than a two-edged sword. In fact, it is the only offensive weapon in the spiritual armor in Ephesians 6. God’s Word is powerful and convicting. This amazing weapon can
How could Paul’s imprisonment actually lead to a greater spread of the Gospel?
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If anything, a sentence in jail only fanned the flames of Paul’s devotion and trust in God. Time and again he
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72 had seen God be true to His Word and work miracles out of messes. An earlier beating in Philippi and a jail sentence there had been followed by an earthquake and the jailer’s family being led to Christ. Paul had also experienced a shipwreck that led to the salvation of many on an island. And in this particular instance (the verses today), Paul was leading his Roman guards to Christ and joyfully watching other believers boldly proclaim Christ. Read all of Philippians 1 and see Paul’s confidence that God was at work all around him. God’s Word is our “trump card” in life’s circumstances. The Bible is sharper than a two-edged sword and gives us everything we need to live a vibrant Christian life, including the power to change the lives of others with the Gospel. God chooses to provide us with the Bible as one of the main ways He communicates with us. His words have been proven to be worthy and true, time after time. Since the Bible is so powerful, you can be confident in its message and be proud and confident to share it. You are the messenger and God is the one who changes lives. Trust in the power of God and His Word and share His message unashamedly. PRAYER Ask God for forgiveness for those times when you have been ashamed to share His Word with others. Ask Him for increased confidence in sharing the powerful, life-changing message of His Word.
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Day 5
Key Scripture passage: Genesis 3:15 • What is one of your favorite stories which you enjoy sharing? • What story in the Bible is your favorite? Read Genesis 3:15. We all love stories. They surround us in books, TV shows, movies, dramas and life. Stories are a part of life. The most important story, however, is that of the Gospel. Most of us think of the Gospel as the story of Jesus in the New Testament, but it actually stretches all the way back to verses like Genesis 3:15 and we see it continually throughout the entire Bible. In Genesis 3:15, “The Lord pronounces judgment on the enemy and promises to send a Messiah. God said life would be difficult due to the curse, but He also said that the ‘seed’ of the woman would strike the head of our enemy and prevail against Satan.”35 In this pronouncement we get a glimpse not only of what is to come, but of the main message of the entire Word of God—life will have challenges, but God will triumph over the enemies of His people and send a Savior to overcome the people’s sins. Every passage in the Bible fits into the context of the Gospel. When you read the Bible, you are not just reading a collection of great stories that each give some
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74 kind of lesson or narrative, you are seeing how God has been on mission and working out the Gospel in human history from the very beginning. From Genesis to Revelation, the Gospel is the purpose and context of the Bible’s message. PRAYER Ask God to show you the message of the Gospel every time you read and study His Word.
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Week 5: ALL THE CHURCH Key Scripture passage: Numbers 11 Checklist:
r r r r r
Create a personal mission statement. P ay the balance of what you owe for the trip. P ray for an unreached people group. G et the daily schedule for the mission trip. S hare your testimony with a non-Christian friend at school.
A WORK IN PROGRESS My little daughter has learned many fun songs. One she loves uses her hands and fingers to “build” the church. It goes: “Here is the church and here’s the steeple . . . open the door and see all the people!” She will need to learn that the church is not four man-made walls with a roof. God’s church is made of people who love Him and are sold-out to His mission. It is a global movement of faithful followers of the Lord, carrying His life-saving message of the Gospel to the world! The Church is the most visible part of Christianity, and thus makes the Gospel visible.36 Unfortunately, the word “church” has negative overtones for many peo-
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76 ple in our culture. For various reasons, some people have had bad experiences with churches and groups of believers that left them with a bad taste. As a pastor, I hear stories of people who want nothing to do with church because the church they grew up in or one they recently visited did not act like the body of Christ. In defense of the church, while we strive to be like Jesus, the truth is we are forgiven sinners who are still working out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). We are a work in progress, but also a work of progress. God is not only working in us but also through us. We are a body of people called by God’s grace through faith in Christ to glorify Him together by serving Him in His world.37 “The story of the church begins with Israel, the Old Testament people of God,” as Mark Dever says in his book about the church.38 Walt Kaiser explains, “The whole purpose of God was to bless one people so that they might be the channel through which all the nations of the earth might receive a blessing. Israel was to be God’s missionary to the world.”39 The story in Numbers 11, however, shows us a time when the people of Israel were not in missionary mode. They were acting selfishly and complaining about the manna that God gave them to eat in the desert. Despite the miraculous bread from heaven, they wailed and complained that they wanted meat to eat. Moses heard the complaint and talked to the Lord about it. Moses, too, complained and insisted that the burden of carrying the people by himself was too
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77 heavy for him (v. 14). He went so far as to ask God to kill him if God would not make changes to Israel’s leadership (v. 15). Moses experienced what many church leaders go through—burn-out. He was at the end of his rope and does not know what to do. When these times come in our lives, we need to The church cry out to our Father in should be like Heaven and ask Him for a river flowing His help, just as Moses did. Since the church was through the created by God to carry wilderness out His mission, He loves bringing life to and cares for each person in the church. If you feel everything it overwhelmed by the tasks God has given you, cry touches. out to Him. He will guide (Eric Thomas @ericjohnthomas) you and give you rest so you can continue to help His church accomplish the mission of redeeming the nations. God has gifted believers in many different ways so we can work together to serve Him and carry out the mission. A good analogy to explain how various gifts fit together in the church is the structure of a sports team. Pick a team from any sport that you like and think about the mission of that team. Usually, the mission is to win games and eventually a league championship. The only way to do that is
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78 by working as a team. Every person on the team has a different skill set, but each one contributes to the team in order to complete the mission. Some teams are better than others not only because of natural talent, but because they work better as a team. Similarly, God has given all the members of the church different ways we can contribute to the team (the church), to accomplish the mission of making His name known throughout all the world. In our times of worship, fellowship and discipleship, we are able to encourage one another, be refreshed and continue training for the mission to which He has daily called us. Know that you are part of the greatest team ever, God’s church, and He wants you to serve Him by reaching the nations. You will serve along some other team “players” whom you do not yet know. These are people from other churches across the United States who are part of your project, as well as the field representatives and national believers. You all have gifts and skills to work together and make the team successful in sharing the Gospel. Take pride in being a part of God’s great team and remember to rely on His strength to carry out the mission!
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MISSION PROJECT HAZARD Your student generation sometimes gets a bad rap for being unengaged and disillusioned with God and His church. Are you and your generation going to be like the Israelites and ignore God and not be fully committed to Him and His mission? I would hope the answer is no, especially since you are committed to this IWC project. Your commitment to Christ is an example to others around you, even in your church (1 Timothy 4:12). Disengaging from God and your church is a potential hazard when you return from your mission trip. You might be tempted to step back and sit out for awhile because you “did your time.” Don’t let Satan trick you and cheat you out of the blessings of being active in the church. Keep letting God use you in mighty ways within His body! Get in the middle of the action and don’t neglect the skills and gifts God has given you to use for His glory!
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ACTION POINT This week’s action point has two scenarios: 1. If you are sitting on the sidelines (i.e., not active in serving in your church): a. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to the gifts and skills He has given you to serve the body of Christ. Then pray about different opportunities for you to serve in your church. To find out about service opportunities, ask your student minister or another pastor or simply look at the church bulletin, newsletter or website. Write in your journal a list of these service opportunities, pray about each one and then circle those in which the Lord wants you to be involved. b. Once you find the right place to serve, start going after it. Don’t just sit back, go hard. I tell the students in my ministry, “Go hard or go home!” That pep talk even motivates me to serve with all that I am and all the gifts God has given me. 2. If you are actively serving in a role in your church: a. Figure out ways you can bring others alongside to serve with you. Constantly have the mindset of reproducing yourself when serving and ministering within the church. Look for younger students—or someone new to your student ministry— whom you could train and teach. Training
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others to serve with you helps multiply the number on God’s team accomplishing His mission! b. In your journal, write down the names of some students whom you could mentor in service. Pray about each person and circle the name of the person God singles out for you to approach about being part of your team. If you have never trained someone before, ask your student minister for ideas about how to be an effective trainer in ministry. Write notes in your journal from your conversation so you remember the tips and techniques you learned.
MEMORY VERSE “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” John 13:34-35 (HCSB).
WATCH THE VIDEO God uses the church to boldly proclaim His message of salvation. Our commitment to the church as an integral part of God’s mission should be strong. Enjoy this humorous video about how we should NOT view the church. Watch the All of the Church video at vimeo.com/79909109.
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WEEK 5 DEVOTIONS Day 1
Key Scripture passage: Acts 1:8 • How would you define being a witness for Christ? Write your definition in your journal. Read Acts 1:8. Jesus has told His followers that they are to be His witnesses and specifically where they should witness—everywhere, even to the ends of the earth! Terri Snead says, “Living out a passionate love for God and embracing our identity as the ones who are loved by God will supernaturally produce a love for others. As we continue to sense God’s love in our lives and deeply experience His care, we won’t be able to keep the Good News of Christ to ourselves.”40 It is vital for us to not become lone ranger witnesses, just doing our own thing as individual believers. We are to be part of the greater witness of God’s church. God uses His church to carry out His mission and each member of the church is involved. We work together on the incredible privilege of carrying the life-changing message of the Gospel into this spiritually dark world. Some Christians struggle with the question of whether they should engage in global missions or a local missions through the church. According to Acts 1:8,
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83 Jesus wants us to take a both/and approach. We are to be involved in ways to reach people in our hometown, our state, our nation and to the ends of the earth. We should concentrate on sending missionaries everywhere because there are lost people everywhere. This means across the street and across the world! PRAYER Ask God for forgiveness for those times when you have been ashamed to share His Word with others. Ask Him for increased confidence in sharing the powerful, life-changing message of His Word.
Day 2
Key Scripture passage: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 • In your opinion, what is the most important part of the human body? • Why do you think the Bible uses “the body of Christ” as a way to describe the church? Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Throughout the Bible, the church is described as a body. As members of the church, we are all part of that one body, but each of us is a different “member,” just like our physical bodies have various parts. However unpleasant the thought, have you noticed that when someone loses a finger, hand, or foot it is considered a “body part” and no longer a member of his or her body?
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“The Bible reminds us that each part is uniquely assigned by the Holy Spirit and equally significant to the health of the body.”41 We are all gifted and talented in
about just after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. Their example of love, faith, and joy is an inspiration.
different ways by the Lord. Those gifts are to be used to give Him glory and honor, to build up the church and to make Christ known. “The gifts are given by the wise and good plan of God, and applied to individuals through the empowering of the Spirit. . . One gift is not more significant than another one, because the purpose for all of them is the common good of the church.”42
The church is supposed to be a group of people who have one common goal and purpose: to know Christ and to make Him known. The fuel that drives this is our devotion to God and our love for each other. We are truly a team—God’s team. When the members of God’s team focus on growing in love for Christ and share that blessing with all the church, God uses them in mighty ways and adds to their number.
As a believer, your place in Christ’s body, His church, is more vital than you may realize, both to you and to others. Be excited and honored to be able to be a part of such a great thing. PRAYER Ask God for forgiveness for those times when you have been ashamed to share His Word with others. Ask Him for increased confidence in sharing the powerful, life-changing message of His Word.
Day 3
Key Scripture passage: Acts 2:42-47 • What types of teams have you been a part of in the past? • Did each team work together or was it dysfunctional? Read Acts 2:42-47. It is interesting to read what the early believers were
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When non-churched people see a group of believers love God with all their hearts and love each other, they want to get in on the action and join such a caring group. “The goal of all believers should be to connect to God and to each other, personally grow through an intentional spiritual process, serve, commit to sharing their faith and exalt God through daily devotion and worship.”43 Isn’t it refreshing to know that God’s priorities for the church start with love? It will be by His love growing in us that new souls will be added to the kingdom and the church. PRAYER Ask God to show you how to bless your IWC team members as you prepare together for your mission project. Pray that your love for each other on the team will be so evident that locals at your IWC project will come to Christ and want to be part of the local church you represent because they see so much love in you.
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Day 4
Key Scripture passage: Acts 4:29 • What types of persecution have you endured in your life for being a Christian? Read Acts 4:29. Persecution is something that Jesus has warned us about in the Bible. He tells us that when we are being persecuted for our faith, ultimately it is not us that people reject, but Him. Persecution looks differently in various places in the world. Some people are disowned by their families or lose their jobs; others are beaten and thrown out of their communities. All too often, people are being killed for giving their lives to Jesus. Be assured that persecution is not some distant episode in the long ago past. We have many brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world who suffer severely for the Gospel, yet they consider it a joy because through it they identify with Christ and His death on the cross. If you were to be persecuted, would you be tempted to ask God to stop the suffering so you could live a “regular” life for Him? As you think about that, remember that the Christians from the first-century church prayed for boldness, not deliverance, in the face of persecution! Why? They discovered something much better than a “regular” Christian life. This should be our prayer, too, whenever we face persecution. Let them show you
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87 the way to prefer boldness for God and the ability to stand up for His truth no matter how hard or difficult the situation. PRAYER Pray that God would give you boldness to stand up for Him in times when it is difficult and whenever you face persecution.
Day 5
Key Scripture passage: Acts 13:2-3 • How has someone in the church encouraged you lately? • How have you encouraged others in the church? Read Acts 13:2-3. The church is God’s launching pad to send people out into the world on mission. Boston pastor Bland Mason gives a great explanation of these verses in a tweet. “The church exists by the Gospel, in community, for mission. If the Gospel is the root of the church (feeding everything) and community is the trunk, then mission is the branches reaching up and out.”44 Did you notice in the verses today that the Lord spoke to the people as they were worshipping, telling them to set apart two people for mission. After receiving that word, they continued to worship and then prayed over Barnabas and Saul and sent them on their mission! Notice the progression: the early church worshipped,
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88 received God’s instruction and then commissioned Barnabas and Saul in the Lord’s work. This can apply to us as well. As we seek God through worship, He gives us specifics about our mission both as individual believers and as the church. As part of all the church, you and I should pray for and encourage each other in the mission of God, even though we don’t know each other. Your prayers for the local believers in your host country are part of that global encouragement and support, too. I can pretty much guarantee you that they are doing the same for you even before you come to their country! PRAYER Pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ in your IWC host country. Pray that God would encourage the hearts of those who feel discouraged. Ask God to give you opportunities to encourage believers in the local church once you arrive on the field.
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Week 6: ALL MY LIFE
Note: Complete this week activities at your project! Don’t forget to bring this book and your journal to the project. Key Scripture passages: Joshua 14; Numbers 13-14
Checklist:
r r
r r r
Pray for local believers/ministry partners in your IWC host country. W rite down the names of the local churches you work with and pray for these churches. (Ask your project leadership for this information.) Identify someone to disciple when you get back home. W rite down in your journal prayer requests and promises from God from the trip. A sk your group leader to schedule a report session for your church/campus ministry.
GROWING UP TO BE LIKE CALEB What does it mean to give God all your life? What does that even look like? These are questions that people often wrestle with when first trusting Christ or having some kind of wake-up call in their spiritual life. They are hard
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90 questions to answer, but in the Bible we find many stories of people giving God all their lives. We can learn much from them and their experiences. One of those people is Caleb from the Old Testament. Caleb is a man whom I consider a spiritual hero and inspiration in my life. He truly lived for God with all of his life and was able to remain faithful to God, even in the craziest of times. We first meet Caleb in the Book of Numbers. He is one of the 12 spies who explored the Promised Land and brought back a report to the Israelites, who were waiting to take possession of it. Caleb and another spy, Joshua, gave a different report than the other 10 spies. The other 10 saw cities surrounded by huge walls and fierce giants who lived within. They feared that the Israelites would not be able to take the land. Caleb and Joshua, however, showed faith in God who had promised the land to the Israelites. They gave a positive report and urged the people to believe that they could, indeed, take the land in battle since their God had promised and was greater than any foe or defense they would face. Alas, the people of Israel turned against Caleb and Joshua in spite of their report and even wanted to stone them. Because of the people’s disobedience and lack of faith, God told Moses that a whole generation of Israelites would miss out on entering the Promised Land. He also informed Moses of an inheritance that Caleb would receive because of his trust in and faithfulness to the Lord.
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91 Fast forward to the Book of Joshua, chapter 14. Caleb is much older and about to receive this inheritance. At this point, he is 85 years old and has spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness with the other Israelites. Though he and Joshua had been faithful to the Lord, they had to spend 40 years in the wilderness like everyone else, waiting for the unfaithful generation to die off. During all that time, Caleb remained faithful and wholly followed the Lord. Because of his steadfastness, Joshua 14:13-14 recounts that Caleb was able to take the land of his inheritance. Caleb is a man who did not waver in his faith over a lifetime. Through 85-plus years, he stood firm. This means that he had given all his heart to the Lord and allowed God to guide all his steps. Whatever situation he found himself in, Caleb’s faith was strong. When the Israelites yielded to the faithless report of the other spies and wanted to stone Caleb and Joshua, even then Caleb did not waver. When the Israelites had to wander in the desert and die off because of their disobedience to God, Caleb remained faithful to the Lord. Even though Caleb had to wait 40 years before seeing the Promised Land, he still trusted God. A strong faith like this that overcomes circumstances is God’s desire for each of us. He wants us to be His for all of life, continuing to stand firm in our faith and growing closer in relationship with Him.
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Forty years from now may be way off your radar, but what about next month, next year, and the next five years? I’m sure you realize that many people your age tend to drop out of church and get disconnected spiritually as they grow older. Do you see the seeds of that right now in your life—things that may keep you from standing firm in your faith over the long haul? Will it be friends, family, a All of life is not job, a tough circumstance, ridicule, or maybe even some last-minute apathy and laziness that sabotage your walk with pardon or God and keep you short death-bed of the finish line?
“Caleb treasured that promise from the Lord in his heart during . . . years of weary wandering, of incessant toil and ceaseless conflict, of unfulfilled hopes. Amid all the murmurings of the people he retained the fixed purpose wholly to follow the Lord. Never was he found among the grumblers or among those who were skeptical and unbelieving. Never was he found among those who disobeyed God or among the people who turned to idolatry. He had caught a glimpse of the reward of obedience, and what was sufficient to keep him true for all the rest of his life, and until that brought him at last to the place that God had promised him.”45
All of life will mean that you learn to trust that God will help you, protect you and bring good out of any bad situation you may face. It is getting up after each and every time you fall. This is the proof that you have given God all your life. That steadfastness is a witness to others who hope that God is faithful even when life is hard.
It is likely that all around you are people who can look back in their lives and recount stories of God’s faithfulness. You may even have some of your own. When you reflect on your and others’ experiences of God’s faithfulness, your faith will be strengthened because it reminds you who is in control and guiding your life!
confession. It is standing firm in your faith in all situations.
Caleb believed in God’s faithfulness and promises. When Caleb was told of his inheritance, he had faith that God would make good on His promise. He trusted the character of God based on what he had experienced already in his life. Alan Redpath writes:
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Caleb is also a great example of devotion. Devotion is defined as profound dedication and an earnest attachment to a cause or person.46 Caleb remained deeply dedicated to the Lord throughout his entire life—not just for a season and not just when faith was easy or convenient.
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94 Thanks to Caleb’s faithfulness, he was ready to accept the God-sized challenge of taking the land that was his inheritance. It was truly God-sized because he was 85 and still one of the leaders of the Israelite army. Remember that the people living there were strong and numerous—giants in the land—and the cities were fortified. It was a challenge that could only have been completed in the strength of the Lord. We all will face challenges in our lives, perhaps not that of attacking a walled city, but others that can be just as daunting. It is up to us to trust in God, accept the challenge and obey God. Earlier I quoted the parents of B. J. Higgins, a teenager who served the Lord on a mission trip to Peru where he contracted an illness that later killed him. Before B. J. died, he wrote this in his journal: “Even though many times we are weak . . . and it seems we have nothing left in us to carry on, and God feels 1,000,000 miles away, the question is not “Do I feel good enough to do this?” or “Am I good enough?” or even “Can I do this?” The answers to these questions are often “no,” but God is still with us, and no matter how we feel, the question is “Will I obey?”47 At each obstacle we face, we need to remember that we are God’s treasured possession and He is able. It is His story we are living. We give Him all our lives because it is He who gives us the grace, mercy and strength to face our challenges and be victorious!
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95 Just like Caleb, we all have an inheritance to claim. Our inheritance is having a personal relationship with God through the death and resurrection of Jesus and spending eternity with Him in Heaven. This is the message that you are preparing to share on your IWC mission project!
MISSION PROJECT HAZARD Most of us spend a lot of time thinking about our future. “Will that girl/guy go out with me next weekend?” “Will I pass my history class this year?” “Where will I go to college?” “What kind of job will I have in 10 years?” “Will I ever get married?” In reality, we don’t know! God has His plans for us already in mind, but He only gives us as much knowledge of them as we need at the moment. In thinking about the future, have you been too narrow in your thinking? Are you stressing over something like having to re-take a math class next year and missing the fact that God is planning to use you in some great way in the future? Whose plans are bigger and better, yours or His? Perhaps He has in mind for you to impact a company, a community, or even an unreached people group with the Gospel! A hazard to your effectiveness on mission is thinking too small about the future. What you should really ask is, “What does God want me to do with my future? How does God want to use me? Where does God want me to go?” God has given you a command in Scripture to go and
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make disciples. This can be done in any context, in any culture of the world. All you have to do is be obedient and view your life as all His. Don’t get caught in the trap of thinking small about what God can do through you on the mission field. You may be as “small as a grasshopper” in your own eyes (as 10 of the spies told Moses), but you serve an enormous God who I’m daily inviting has already Christ to accom- created good works plish His original for you to do this summer in order to plan thru me—or bring the nations to it is pointless that salvation (Ephesians 2:10).
I came to planet Earth. Absolutely pointless.
ACTION POINT
Like Caleb, we all have examples in our lives (Richard Ross @richardaross) where we can go back and reflect on the faithfulness of God. What are some of those examples in your life? Write in your journal your memories of God’s faithfulness. Now that you have reminded yourself of God’s faithfulness in your life, think about answering this next question in your journal: What giants are you currently facing? Need some examples to consider? •A tough situation on the mission field (fear of witnessing, persecution, or someone rejecting
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your witness) • Conviction about telling a classmate, co-worker or family member about the Lord • Making a big decision that you have been avoiding • A parent who has lost his/her job • A family member or friend facing cancer or another illness • Your parents divorcing The life issues you may be facing probably seem gigantic—and they certainly may be! The 10 spies were not wrong to see the giants in the Promised Land as formidable. They were wrong to forget that God is greater. The giant issues in your life may seem insurmountable, but the God you love and serve is bigger than any “giant” in your life. Write about your “giants” in your journal and then write about how big, able and faithful your God is help you face and defeat them. Remember Caleb and his strong faith in the face of tough circumstances. Choose to believe in the goodness and faithfulness of our all-powerful God, just as Caleb did. Commit all your life to the Lord and He will direct your path (Proverbs 3:5-6). During your mission project, spend time praying each day for: 1. Your field representative 2. People you seek to serve at your ministry site (including people you meet if traveling)
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98 3. Your project coordinator and ministry coordinator 4. The other participants whom you met when you arrived on the field 5. A bigger vision of God for yourself so He can use you in mighty ways both on the project and in your everyday mission field!
MEMORY VERSE “For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them” Ephesians 2:10 (HCSB).
WATCH THE VIDEO Internet access at your project may be limited, but work with your project coordinator if possible to see this unit’s video. Anna Romano has served with IWC in Ecuador and Romania. She discovered what it meant to bring her mission experiences home and live a lifestyle of sacrifice and service to the Lord each and every day. Watch the All of my Life video at vimeo. com/79909102.
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PROJECT DEVOTIONS (week 6) Day 1
Key Scripture passage: Philippians 3:7-9 • What are some things that you have given up to fully follow Christ? • What are some things that you still need to give up in order to fully follow Christ? Read Philippians 3:7-9. Paul declared that whatever he had done for his own good or profit, he considered as a loss because knowing Christ was more valuable to him. He went further to say that he considered everything a loss compared to the greatness of knowing Christ as his Lord! In some of his letters, he detailed the accomplishments and achievements that set him apart from—and above—others in his culture. In Philippians 3:7-9, however, he counts all those credentials as equal to trash when compared to the value of knowing Christ. Obviously, Paul had made knowing Christ the great priority in his life. When Jesus met Paul (formerly named Saul) on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9), all of Paul’s life completely changed. Now, instead of seeking his version of worldly success and the approval of others, he sought to know Christ and make Him known through all that he did. Knowing Christ became the passion of his life, not his worldly success.
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100 Could your life become the same? What would change about you if your singular passion became to know Christ and to make Him known through all your life? One thing is for sure, it would mean setting aside your agenda for life and fully focusing on His. We often see movies that depict the end of the world through a disaster and how it makes the daily routines of people meaningless. How much better is it to contemplate the beginning of an amazing new world centered on Christ that brings meaning to everything you do! It’s no wonder that you can consider everything a loss compared to knowing Him who gave His life on a cross for you and all the world. Please don’t take the privilege of knowing Christ too lightly. Others before you and around you in this world have seen the worth of Christ and been willing to lose everything—sometimes even their lives.
PRAYER Pray for a hunger to know Christ more. Ask God to help you set your priorities straight so you seek to glorify Him instead of glorifying yourself through worldly successes.
Day 2
Key Scripture passage: Isaiah 6:1-9 • How have you answered God in the past when He has asked something of you?
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101 Read Isaiah 6:1-9. God had an important message for the people and was looking for someone to carry that message. He asked a simple question and a willing servant answered. Isaiah was a prophet whom God wanted to use to share His message with the people, but He let it be a choice for Isaiah to make. How would he respond to God? Isaiah willingly and obediently answered the Lord saying, “Here am I! Send me.” In his classic devotion book, My Utmost for His Highest, theologian Oswald Chambers said of this exchange, “Isaiah’s soul was so attuned to God by the tremendous crisis he had gone through that he recorded the call of God to his amazed soul.”48 Isaiah’s answer was more than just a “Sure, I’ll do it.” It was a humble cry that welled up from Isaiah’s soul in the presence of a perfect and holy God. Isaiah realized that he was not worthy to be used by God, yet he gladly committed to serve God with all of his life. The big question is, Will you commit all your life to taking God’s message to people who need to hear it, as Isaiah did? But first you must go through the “fire.” As God cleansed Isaiah from sin, consider if God needs to cleanse something from your life in order to make you fit to serve Him. Do business with God today about that sin even before you go out to your ministry site. Isaiah’s quick-reflex answer to God came as a result of knowing the perfect love and mercy of God
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102 specifically and personally in his life. It is people like this who become humble, obedient servants who can carry His life-changing message of hope to the nations. God asks, “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” How will you answer God? Will you give all your life to serve the Most High God? PRAYER Ask God to reveal what sin keeps you from being a clean vessel to serve Him. Repent of these sins and thank God for His forgiveness and for including you in His eternal plan of salvation. Pray for a clear vision of what God wants you to do with your life. Ask Him to use you in mighty ways and to help you become a willing, obedient servant for Him!
Day 3
Key Scripture passage: 1 Corinthians 12:1-5 • What are your spiritual gifts? Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-5. As you saw in week five, God has given us all different gifts to use for the building up of the church and the furtherance of His kingdom. In order to serve Him with all your life, you must see yourself as gifted by the Holy Spirit and at His service for encouraging the body of Christ. As John MacArthur has said, “These categories of giftedness are not natural talents, skills, or abilities, such as are possessed by believers and unbelievers alike. They are sovereignly and supernaturally bestowed
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103 by the Holy Spirit on all believers, enabling them to spiritually edify each other effectively and thus honor the Lord.”49 Once you embrace your unique giftedness, you can begin to serve God and His church in ministries which best fit you. A sign that you are serving in an area that fits your interests and gifts is that you will serve gladly out of enjoyment. Many people do not serve simply because they do not know where they would best fit. Take time to discover your gifts. Your student minister can help you find a spiritual gift assessment tool which will highlight the gifts God has given you at this point in your spiritual walk. It is important to know how God has gifted you so that you can serve and be used to your highest potential for His glory and honor. PRAYER Pray that God would give you guidance in discovering your spiritual gifts and assist you in knowing how to best use those gifts both on the mission field and at home.
Day 4
Key Scripture passage: Colossians 3:1-4 •W hat is a “mission field?” How would you define it? Read Colossians 3:1-4. The truth is that everywhere we go each day is a mission field. As we go about our days we are to think and act
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104 as if we are on a mission project. This means that all our purposes, desires and goals change from our own agenda to Christ’s. “When Jesus died on the cross, He took our place. He physically died for our sins and when we receive Him as Lord and Savior we accept this spiritually. The challenge to all believers is to allow our lives to be hid in Christ so that when others see us, they actually see Christ.”50 Colossians 3:1-4 makes it clear that your old “before Christ” self is dead and your life now belongs solely to Christ. When all of your life is hidden in Christ, Jesus is honored and glorified through who you are and what you do. You are called to make Christ your life. Think more about what this looks like. PRAYER Pray for Christ to be your life. Pray that all your life would be about His glory and mission.
Day 5
Key Scripture passage: Ephesians 5:1-2 • Have you ever tried to imitate someone? Who? • Has anyone ever tried to imitate you? Read Ephesians 5:1-2.
105 Dusty Wilson says, “Christ should be a sweet experience for us so that others will want to follow, too. The very way that we walk and talk, the things we do and the places we go should be a reflection of His aroma in our lives.”51 When we imitate Christ’s life, our lives become a witness to Christ’s work on the cross in a dark world. John MacArthur writes, “The Christian has no greater calling or purpose than that of imitating his Lord. That is the very purpose of sanctification, growing in likeness to the Lord while serving Him on earth. The Christian life is designed to reproduce godliness as modeled by the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, in whose image believers have been recreated through the new birth. As God’s dear children, believers are to become more and more like their heavenly Father.”52 Instead of trying to imitate someone who is sinful and fallible, like a Hollywood star, sports hero, or someone popular at your school, try imitating Jesus and live a life that is worthy of Him. PRAYER Pray for God to help you imitate Him this week on your IWC project and in your everyday life when you return to the USA.
Paul encouraged the Ephesian believers and instructed them to be imitators of Christ by living a life of love. By living the same kind of life that Christ lived, others will see the Gospel applied in our everyday lives. Author
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ON THE TRIP HOME
How do you feel about leaving your host country?
Note: Complete this personal journal entry on your way home.
Who are some people you will miss?
Can you believe it? You are already on your way home from your mission experience. What a whirlwind, huh? Whether you are tired, anxious, sad, relieved or a combination of all of the above, know that what you are feeling is normal.
How did you see God at work on the mission field?
It is likely that you feel differently than you did on your last plane ride. Since then, you have been a part of a cross-cultural mission experience full of challenges, opportunities to serve others and experiences outside of your familiar world. Our prayer for you is that you “cannot but speak of what [you] have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).
Did God speak to you through this experience? If so, what did He say?
Before the memories of your trip fade, take a few minutes and write down your answers to the following questions:
How will that new perspective change the way you live at home?
Today’s date: _____________
Is there a “God story” from your mission trip that you want share with your family and friends at home? Summarize it here:
Your mission project location: _____________
How did God work through you? In you?
What new perspective about the world do you have from this trip?
What were some of the things that were attempted and perhaps accomplished by this mission project?
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108 Take a few minutes to pray about your mission trip. Here are some prayer ideas: • Pray that God will send more workers into the harvest field in your host country (Matthew 9:3738). • Ask God to continue to work in the lives of any people you mentioned above in your answers. • Ask the Lord to help you think of stories from your mission experience to share with people back home that show what He is doing in that place. • Ask God what your next step is in missions. How (and where) does He want you to serve next? Keep this Student Devotional Guide and your personal journal in a place where you can easily access it over the next few weeks. No doubt you will quickly be back in a regular routine at home, and it would be good to take time to reflect over your journal and perhaps guide your decisions in what to do next in your devotions and discipleship. Follow-up devotions are available at imbstudents.org/ iwcmore. These Bible studies can help you interpret your mission experience and apply it further to your life. Now take a nap. You will need it to get over the jet lag!
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ENDNOTES 1
A lvin Reid, As You Go: Creating a Missional Culture of Gospel-Centered Students (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2013), 67.
2
M ichael S. Wilder and Shane W. Parker, TransforMission: Making Disciples through Short-Term Missions (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic. 2010), 3.
3
D ictionary.com, “Hazard.” www.dictionary.reference.com/browse/ hazard?s=t (accessed September 21, 2013).
4
S .M Lockridge, “That’s My King,” YouTube website, youtube. com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE (accessed September 12, 2013).
5
O swald Chambers, “April 18 Selection,” My Utmost for His Highest: Selections for the Yea. ( Uhrichsville, Ohio: Barbour Publishing, 1963).
6
A jith Fernando, Wayne Grudem and J.I. Packer, “Habakkuk,” ESV Global Study Bible (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway, 2012), 1261.
7
F ernando, Grudem and.Packer, “Daniel,” 1149.
8
C hambers, “July 18 Selection.”
9
D avid Platt, Follow Me: A Call to Die. A Call to Live (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 2013), 24.
10
F rancis Chan and Mark Beuving, Multiply (Colorado Springs, CO: David Cook, 2012), 16.
11
E ric Geiger, Michael Kelley and Philip Nation, Transformational Discipleship (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2012), 3.
12
S teven B. Cowen, Charles W. Draper, Chad Brand and Archie England eds., “Covenant,” Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2003), 355.
13
J ohn MacArthur, “Exodus,” The MacArthur Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1997), 124.
14
M acArthur, “Romans,” 1716.
15
M acArthur, “Daniel.” p.1231.
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111
16
F ernando, Grudem and Packer, “Daniel,” 1155.
33
M acArthur, “Psalms,” 851.
17
M acArthur, “Philippians,” 1826.
34
18
C hambers, “July 11 Selection.”
D anny Lovett, “Week 3, Weekend,” One Year Devotional Prayer Book (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009), 19.
35
19
T erri Snead, “Can You Hurt for Jesus?” Impact Student Leader Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2011), 49.
P hilip Nation, “The Messiah Foretold,” Mission of God Study Bible, eds.Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation (Nashville, TN: Holman Publishing, 2012), 4.
20
J erry and Marylin Fine, One on One with God, (Winepress Books, 2003), 12.
36
M ark Dever, “The Church,” Theology for the Church,ed. Daniel L. Akin (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2007), 766-767.
21
H ayes Wicker, “Week 19, Weekend Devotional” One Year Devotional Prayer Book (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009), 115.
37
D ever, 768.
38
22
J oshuaproject.com, accessed September 15, 2013.
D ever, 770.
39
23
B rent and Deanna Higgins, I Would Die For You: One Student’s Story of Passion, Service, and Faith (Grand Rapids, MI: Revell Publishing, 2008), 128.
W alt Kaiser, Jr., Mission in the Old Testament: Israel as a Light to the Nations, 2nd Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012), 12.
40
24
L arry Wynn, “Week 13, Monday,” One Year Devotional Prayer Book, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009), 74.
S nead, 283.
41
V ance Pitman, “Week 38, Monday,” One Year Devotional Prayer Book (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009), 224.
42
E d Stetzer, “The Gifts of the Spirit,” Mission of God Study Bible, eds. Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation, (Nashville, TN: Holman Publishing, 2012), 1208.
43
A lton Garrison, “Making Disciples,” Mission of God Study Bible, eds. Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation, (Nashville, TN: Holman Publishing, 2012), 1138.
25
W ynn, “Week 13, Friday,” 78.
26
T revin Wax, “Jonah and the Mission of God,” Mission of God Study Bible, eds. Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation (Nashville, TN: Holman Publishing, 2012), 937.
27
D on Wilton, “Week 11, Weekend,” One Year Devotional Prayer Book (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009), 67.
28
M att Bartig, “His Reflection,” Impact Student Leader Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2011,) 64.
44
B land Mason, Twitter Web site twitter.com/BlandMason (tweeted September 9, 2013).
29
M acArthur, “Matthew,” 1400.
45
R edpath,1955.
30
M ichael Pocock, “The Mission of God and Missions in the Church.” Mission of God Study Bible, eds. Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation (Nashville, TN: Holman Publishing, 2012), 1024.
46
D ictionary.com, “Devotion,” http://dictionary.reference.com/ browse/devotion?s=t (Accessed May 5, 2013).
47
31
R eid, 21.
H iggins, 119.
48
32
J ohnny Hunt, “Week 1, Wednesday,” One Year Devotional Prayer Book (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009), 4.
C hambers, “January 16 Selection.”
49
MacArthur, 1747.
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112 50
M ario and Meagan Hood, “Now You See Me, Now You Don’t,” Impact Student Leader Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2011), 225.
51
D usty Wilson, “Following a Sweet Smell,” Impact Student Leader Devotional (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2011), 195.
52
M acArthur, 1811.
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NOTES
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NOTES
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