LIVING FOR HIM IN A WORLD THAT S ALL ABOUT ME.

Transcription

1 LIVING FOR HIM IN A WORLD THAT S ALL ABOUT ME. LifeWay Press Nashville, Tennessee

2 2013 LifeWay Press No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing by the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed in writing to LifeWay Press, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN ISBN: Item Dewey Decimal Classification Number: Subject Heading: CHRISTIAN LIFE \ HUMILITY BIBLICAL TEACHING \ SELF Printed in the United States of America Student Ministry LifeWay Church Resources One LifeWay Plaza Nashville, Tennessee We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. The 2000 statement of The Baptist Faith and Message is our doctrinal guideline. All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. 2 CHASING LAST

3 INTRO 4 WHAT NOW? 5 HUMBLE YOURSELF Day 1 Psalm 8:3-4 6 Day 2 Matthew 23: Day 3 Psalm 25: Day 4 Proverbs 18: Day 5 1 Peter 3: Day 6 Colossians 3: Day 7 Luke 14: Day 8 Romans 12:3 20 Day 9 James 4:10 22 Day 10 Proverbs 11: Day 11 Luke 18: Day 12 Ephesians 4: Day 13 Romans 12: Day 14 Philippians 2: Day 15 Philippians 2: Day 16 1 Peter 5: CONTENTS SERVE GOD Day 17 Psalm 100: Day 18 Hebrews 12:28 40 Day 19 Luke 10: Day 20 Ephesians 6: Day 21 Colossians 3: Day 22 Colossians 3: Day 23 Luke 9: SERVE OTHERS Day 24 Luke 22: Day 25 Matthew 20: Day 26 Galatians 5: Day 27 Acts 2: Day 28 1 Peter 2: Day 29 1 Peter 4: Day 30 Mark 9:35 64 MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE 66 WHAT S NEXT? 68 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 69 CHASING LAST 3

4 We live in a culture that is saturated with self-promotion. From social media to entertainment, our society is obsessed with getting attention. But to what end? Do success and notoriety make us great or is there something more we should aspire to? The answer to that question and the inspiration for this book can be found in Mark 9:35 Sitting down, He called the Twelve and said to them, If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all. When we look at the words of Jesus Christ, we find a shocking, revolutionary and counter-culture invitation to be last. He defines greatness not by what we accomplish, but by the attitude of our hearts in all circumstances. With Christ as our example, we discover the beauty of humility over pride and the value of servanthood over selfishness. What would our lives be like if we were to chase this ambition: to humble ourselves, to serve God and serve others? Let s jump in for the next 30 days and let the Lord show us how to be a reflection of Him in this world! Let s spend our days chasing last! 4 CHASING LAST

5 WHAT NOW? What you are holding in your hands has the potential to change your life. Not because of any clever devotional thought or activity, but simply because the Word of God is the focal point on every page you turn. For a Christian, the Bible is the lens through which we should see all of life. Its pages are full of life-giving encouragement and instruction. Psalm 119:105 says, Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. This truth is what makes every moment you spend in God s Word so important. This devotional book is formatted to help you dive into God s Word every day for a month. We encourage you to take this book with you wherever you go it s small enough to fit in your back pocket or inside your backpack. The daily reading will only take a few minutes, but there are questions you can ponder long after you put the book down. We ve included some interactive elements to help you process and apply what you are learning. Highlight, draw, and make notes all through this book as you discover more about the character of God and His calling on your life. Finally, memorize His Word. You ll find verses underlined as you go through the month. Say those over and over again until you have a handle on the truth presented in each one. Once you feel confident you know those verses, take the Memory Verse Challenge on page 66 and fill in the blanks from memory. We believe you were created to glorify God with your everyday life. By offering this resource, our hope is that diving into His Word will become an integral part of your daily routine. The Lord will use your time with Him to shape your character and guide your decisions. CHASING LAST 5

6 DAY ONE When I observe Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You set in place, what is man that You remember him, the son of man that You look after him? PSALM 8:3-4 Did you know that there are approximately 200 to 400 billion stars in The Milky Way? Have you ever spent an evening out in the country, away from the distraction of city lights? There is something incredible about being in the middle of nowhere under the vast blanket of stars with no other source of light to distract from the glory of the night sky. It s in these moments that you realize the stars sing a song of praise to their Maker every single night. Read Psalm 8:3-4. This chapter is all about the glory of God. David spends all nine verses praising the overwhelming magnificence of the Creator. By focusing on the greatness of God, David also draws attention to the humble reality of man. God is so very great and man is so very small. This reality stirs within us a beautiful balance of humility and comfort. It is humbling because we realize how greatly we are in need of help. We are tiny and weak. We are completely hopeless apart from God. Our place in this grand universe is brief and insignificant. Do you know what s comforting about these verses? The Creator of the universe the One who crafted every single star in the sky sees you. He knows YOU. Even in your insignificance in this massive universe, He sees and loves you. And He gave His only Son for you. 6 CHASING LAST

7 1 MY RESPONSE When I read these verses, do I feel humbled, comforted, or both? 2 How does having an attitude of humility help me see God more clearly? 3 In what ways can I choose to embrace a humble attitude of complete dependence on God today? CHASING LAST 7

8 DAY TWO The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. MATTHEW 23:11-12 One of the hardest words to understand and grasp the true meaning of is the word humility. You hear it all the time, and you know it s a quality you should display in your life, but really, what does it mean? How do you do it? Are there written directions or a how-to-behumble guide, because that might be incredibly helpful! Humility is basically defined as not being full of yourself, but rather putting others first. We live in a world where pride and self are glorified. Models are worshiped because of their beauty. Athletes are idolized because of their physical talents. Some actors make more money in one movie than most of us will make in our lifetimes. Being full of yourself is championed in our society. But humility is a characteristic we re supposed to value. How s that going to get us anywhere in this world? Jesus answered that question in Matthew 23: In these verses, He outlined a complete role reversal in which humility is the goal and those who exhibit a humble attitude receive rewards. As Christians, we should strive to be more like Christ humble and focused on the things that matter to God. Our fate does not rest in our abilities or accolades. It rests in the hands of our Creator. We are called to be full of Christ, not full of ourselves. If we do this, Jesus promises us a greater reward in eternity than we could ever find on this earth. 8 CHASING LAST

9 1 MY RESPONSE In which areas of my life am I most tempted to glorify myself (athletic talent, intelligence, artistic abilities, etc.)? 2 How can I use my talents and abilities to glorify God instead of myself? 3 How can focusing more on Christ help me to be humble? CHASING LAST 9