INTRODUCTION DAY 1. Epaphras is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, and be mature.

Transcription

1 DAILY DEVOTIONAL

2 INTRODUCTION DAY 1 Epaphras is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, and be mature. (Colossians 4:12) In this letter to the Colossians, Paul makes a point of telling the church that Epaphras wrestles in prayer for them. What a powerful biblical image - like Jacob wrestling with the angel all night for a blessing (Genesis 32:24-31) - and like Jesus praying so fervently in the Garden of Gethsemane that his sweat became like drops of blood (Luke 22:41-44). What is so important that Epaphras would pray so fervently? He was praying that the Colossian church would grow in their knowledge of God s will, and in their maturity of faith. Paul s choice of words is deliberate - for when we pray for God s discernment, we often wrestle with what God is trying to tell us as we seek to fulfill His promise. This capital campaign is a call to prayer for each one of us as individuals and as a CHCA community. We are each encouraged to reflect on a simple question What would You do through me, Lord, to make Your will happen at CHCA? Genuinely reflecting on that question will mean prayerfully wrestling with God s will in your life, and with God s plan for CHCA. This challenge is a time to exercise our faith. And the struggle to respond faithfully may not be easy. As Paul would later say of Epaphras, I vouch for him that he is working hard for you in prayer. You may spend a period of time wrestling in prayer for an answer and a blessing, just as the Biblical Jacob did. CHCA needs an Epaphras or two just now. As we seek your support in this campaign, we ask that you prayerfully consider how you will participate. Would you be willing to pray -to wrestle hard - for the future of CHCA and the students we serve? We invite you to join us in setting aside a specific time every day for the next week to spend in prayer and reflection. Perhaps this devotional guide will be helpful to you in the process. We hope you will make an appointment with yourself (and with God). May your time with Him be a blessing to you!

3 DAY 2 So I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. (Luke 11:9) As we seek God s guidance on any decision, we can have the comfort of knowing that He loves to offer it. He delights in leading His children to wholesome and beneficial solutions. However, seeking God s guidance sometimes involves more than simply asking. It may require time, attention, listening, and even work. As we reread the passage above, we notice that three different verbs are used. Asking involves talking to God. Seeking involves using our minds to think, reason, and listen for an answer. Knocking involves expending some kind of physical effort, perhaps researching God s Word to find His principles on the issue at hand. The Amplified Bible has a helpful translation of the passage above. It says, Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. Although God certainly knows what we need before we ask Him, He loves how our relationship with Him deepens as we ask and depend on Him. Sometimes we pray once, hand an issue over to God, and trust Him to answer. But there is also a valuable principle of persistence in prayer when we keep on asking. Of course, Jesus is not saying that believers always get what they ask for. Sometimes He gives us a far different but better solution. At other times our own wrong motives, unforgiveness, or unconfessed sin might hinder His answers to our prayer. But we serve a merciful God who longs to lean in and help even the most undeserving among us. And the truth is no matter what we have suffered in the past, the more time we spend with God, the more our desires will become attuned to His and our lives will be blessed by the change. We never know what God has in store for us when we embark on a journey of prayer. However, we do know the impact will be positive on our families, our relationships, and the organizations we serve. Together, let s seek discernment for God s purpose for each of us and for CHCA as we move forward with this campaign. Considering recording what you are asking and any answers you are discovering.

4 Day 3 Jesus approached and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teach them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you always (Matt 28:18-20) As we embark on this campaign, common questions arise such as: What are we doing? What will this mean for my children and grandchildren? Why are we proposing these improvements to CHCA s academic environment? Our vision revolves around the personal commission Jesus gave all His followers just before He ascended into Heaven - to the share the gospel and teach God s principles everywhere. At CHCA, we continually look for the most effective ways to engage students with Scripture as we train them in personal and invitational discipleship. The proposed improvements will make our facilities more adaptable to differentiated learning styles, maturing brain development, and a deeper encounter with God and His Word. We believe every person was created with a gift mix that is unique throughout the world. It s exciting to anticipate all the places God may want to use our students to advance His Kingdom purposes. In all their future endeavors, from raising children, to leading businesses, holding public office, or serving in foreign lands, we want them to have stellar preparation for all they will encounter. That s why we continually ask God: That our children will be taught of the Lord and great will be their peace. (Isa. 54:13) That our students will increase in wisdom and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:52) That our young people will grow to be men and women of God, competent, and thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:17) This campaign is about reaching, teaching, and changing the lives of people everywhere with the good news of Jesus Christ. The resources raised will provide the necessary tools to help us better teach, better reach, more effectively prepare and change the lives of those young people we serve at CHCA and the world they will go on to serve and impact. When you focus on the WHY instead of the what, how important does this campaign become for you? As you record any thoughts that come to you through this devotional, please know that God loves you, and that your time of prayer is of utmost value to Him.

5 DAY 4 Speak Lord, for your servant is listening (I Samuel 3:10) The Bible tells us that the word of the Lord was rare in Samuel s day, and visions were not widespread. It is easy for people to think the same is true today. Even though God still moves within the hearts of men and women everywhere, we often wonder how to recognize His voice more clearly. Samuel heard God s voice but did not recognize it until he was instructed by Eli. (1 Samuel 3:1-21) We all could use instruction and encouragement in hearing from God, especially since God doesn t communicate with all of us audibly as He did with Samuel. We are more likely to discern His direction when we spend time in Bible study and contemplation. Psalm 46:10 says, Be still and know that I am God. So many of us have difficulty being still and quiet in today s highly stimulated culture. Thoughts of unfinished tasks and literally thousands of outside messages clamor for our mental attention. The inspiring thing is: we know God desires to communicate with us. James 1:5 tells us, If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all, liberally, without reproach and it will be given to him. Part of the reason God wants to give us wisdom so generously is that He has wonderful plans for our lives good works that He long ago envisioned would be perfect for the unique gifts with which He was creating us. (Ephesians 2:10) And if we are looking for our God-given destiny, it is to be a faithful steward of the time, talents, and resources God has given us. That s actually a very personal calling. Paul writes in Colossians 3:23, Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. We all have personal dreams for our future. But no matter how good and godly those dreams may be, they cannot match the wonderful designs God has for us. What a privilege to be His stewards! May you sense God s personal calling and loving presence in new ways this week as you seek to listen to Him and hear His direction. How do you best connect to God in conversation? Some people say the best way for them to focus on a conversation with God is to write out their prayers. Others say that praying out loud helps them feel close to the Lord. Still others say early morning Bible reading, a solo walk in nature, or a late night review of the day with God can help them be still and listen. There is a God-given vision for your participation in this campaign. Are you listening for God s word? Are you hearing and living out your unique calling?

6 DAY 5 For if the (eager) readiness to give is there, then it is acceptable and welcomed in proportion to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. (II Corinthians 8:12, Amplified Version) The above passage is part of a letter from the Apostle Paul to his beloved friends in Corinth. He is urging them to fulfill their promise and share in the privilege of providing financial relief for suffering Christians in Jerusalem. The Corinthians had benefitted greatly from the gospel work emanating from Jerusalem and had eagerly promised to help Christians in extreme poverty there. The Bible doesn t tell us why they didn t follow through. Most likely, it was what sometimes happens with us today struggles of everyday life simply pressed in and distracted them. In this letter, Paul does not demand that his friends follow through on their commitment. He simply reminds them how they have previously excelled in many godly graces, and he invites them to excel [also] in the grace of giving (2 Cor 8:7), which he knows will result in future heavenly rewards for them. Additionally, he reminds them that they have richly benefitted from God s indescribable gift of His Son Jesus and from the work of Jewish believers in Jerusalem. Thus, the Corinthians may want to give graciously to the sources from which they were blessed. Paul establishes a nice balance between compulsion and grace. Similarly, in his book, The Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster says that disciplines practiced for the sake of themselves can put us into bondage. Even giving. If it is practiced under coercion, legalism, or competition, giving can feel like enslavement. However, Foster shares, Every discipline has its corresponding freedom. Practiced with discernment and reason, disciplines like giving can bring freedom even joy. The specific freedom that corresponds to giving is the ability to lay down the terrible burden of consistently using our resources to have the latest material goods or to keep up with a certain lifestyle ultimately using others as a monitor, versus God s will for us. While expending on such resources is not all bad, we sense that when we use our resources to give generously back to what God is doing our lives, we actually trade up in value. Perhaps some questions we may want to ask ourselves today are: What are the sources from which we have been blessed? Where do we feel led to give back? Is CHCA blessing our children? Regarding our material resources, what would it look like to trade up in value? Are we giving in proportion to the resources the Lord has given us?

7 DAY 6 Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (II Corinthians 9:6) Both Jesus and Paul emphasize the relationship between our giving to the Lord and His blessings bestowed upon us. Otherwise said, the more one gives, the more God gives. Jesus even taught in Luke 6:38, Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use, it will be measured to you. In Pastor John MacArthur s Is There a Clear Biblical Pattern for Giving, he shares the following for consideration: In this passage Paul expressed that principle using familiar agricultural imagery: Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Every farmer recognizes that the size of the harvest is directly proportionate to the amount of seed sown. The farmer who sows seed sparingly will reap a meager harvest; the one who sows bountifully will reap a great harvest. In the spiritual realm, the principle is that giving to God results in blessing from God; bountifully translates eulogia, which literally means blessing. Generous givers will reap generous blessings from God, while those who hold back selfishly fearing loss will forfeit gain. To motivate the Corinthians to give, Paul gave a description of the harvest that would result: love from God. CHCA s Founders and early families set the example for us all in bountiful sowing. As a result current students, families, faculty and staff continue to reap a bounteous harvest going well beyond our campus borders. Now is our time, our season, to sow! How has the Lord blessed you? How might you be a blessing to others?

8 Day 7 Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion. (II Corinthians 9:7) True Biblical stewardship models giving freely from the overflow of a joyful heart, not from coercion or compulsion. But doesn t this contradict what we learned under the first principle, that Christ- centered giving is not optional? Not at all; Christian giving is both mandatory and voluntary. God empowers and equips us to work and gain financial wealth. He then asks that a portion be willingly given in return to fund His Kingdom work, of which our school is a vital part. Pastor John MacArthur s continues his great lesson Is There a Clear Biblical Pattern for Giving, by sharing: God loves the world in a general sense (John 3:16), but He has a deeper, more wonderful love for His own (John 13:1; 1 John 4:16), and a special love for each one of His who gives cheerfully. Cheerful giving comes from inside, from the heart, rather than from external coercion. It begins by giving just as one has purposed in his heart. Once again, Paul stressed the truth that Christian giving is strictly voluntary. But though it is not forced, neither is it casual, careless, or a mere afterthought. Proaireo (purposed), used only here in the New Testament, has the idea of predetermination. Though there is spontaneous joy in giving, it is still to be planned and systematic (1 Cor. 16:2), not impulsive and sporadic. Nor is giving to be done grudgingly. Lupe (grudgingly) literally means, sorrow, grief, or pain. Giving is not to be done with an attitude of remorse, regret, or reluctance, of mourning over parting with what is given. And, as noted above, it is not to be under compulsion from any legalistic external pressure. The giving that God approves of comes from a cheerful giver. Cheerful translate hilaros, from which the English word hilarious derives. Happy, joyous givers, who are joyous in view of the privilege of giving, are the special objects of God s love. At CHCA we believe Light the Way is not just another fundraising campaign, but a philanthropic initiative. Fundraising seeks to collect money, but philanthropy is about loving, developing, and supporting one another. This effort will engage our community in philanthropic support of CHCA, thus providing enhanced learning environments filled with students eager to grow and develop in every aspect of life. So when someone on campus or out in the community asks you, What s this Light the Way all about? Our hope is that you could respond, Joyful, wholehearted giving.

9 DAY 8 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19 21) Jesus promises that if we spend our lives for His sake, the return on investment will be eternal. He then calls us to release our grip on the wealth and possessions of this world, so we can realize riches everlasting. Ask yourself, Does my heart follow the money or does the money follow my heart? Jesus actually answers the question for us in Matthew s passage. Our heart follows the treasure. Some Christians believe God helps those who help themselves and charity begins at home are quotes from Scripture. This is simply not so. When we make our financial resources available for the mission of God in this world, He receives our offering and returns manifold blessings into eternity. Remember the widow s mite? Many rich people threw in a large amount (of money). But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Jesus was in the Temple at the time and used that powerful moment to teach His disciples and all of us that the widow s gift was far greater than all the others. They donated from their wealth, but she gave sacrificially from the heart. (Mark 12:41-44) When you give a heart gift to CHCA, you are investing in God s work through CHCA. Our students are a dynamic, vital part of His Kingdom. Seeds of truth are sewn from preschool to graduation, equipping students to grow their faith, all the while preparing them to live mission-focused throughout their lives. Please continue to pray and ask God how He would have you support CHCA s mission of equipping our students for life-long Kingdom work.

10 DAY 9 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (II Corinthians 9:7-8) Just a couple of days ago in this devotional guide, we captured the essence of Light the Way as philanthropically motivated, joyful, wholehearted giving. Let s revisit the how Paul used the word love to describe God s response to a cheerful giver. Clearly God loves joy filled, enthusiastic, cheerful givers. Then He in turn takes delight in blessing such supporters of His kingdom work in abundance. It is hard to imagine a more precious promise than to be the personal object of God s love. All the world s acclaim, honor, and rewards given to all philanthropists put together does not come close to this privilege of being loved by God. Yet that is what He promises the cheerful giver. Take a few moments right now to thank God for the material blessings He has so generously bestowed upon you, your family, and the CHCA community. And as we pray, let us be reminded of the fact that all wealth in heaven and earth belongs to God. We are merely stewards of the benevolent abundance entrusted to us. A joyful steward becomes a cheerful giver and both are pleasing to God.

11 DAY 10 For you know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. (II Corinthians 8: We conclude this Light the Way devotional journey with gratitude to Lord Jesus, the Light of the World who illuminates the path from darkness into the brilliant splendor of His Love. He sacrificially gave to become our eternal, life giving Light. Please allow a paraphrasing of John 3:16 to best illustrate His sacrificial gift. For God so loved you and me that He gave His one and only Son, so that if we believe in Him and the fullness of His Lordship, we will have eternal life. You are worth the ultimate sacrifice He made on Calvary s cross. CHCA was born in the very heart of God. He ordained such an institution at such a time as this to bear His name and whose mission of excellence reflects His character. Light the Way stands on the shoulders of prior campaigns over the past 25+ years, whose results are evident each time you drive onto campus. Then, as now, men and women just like you and families just like yours were challenged to prayerfully consider what role they would play - what sacrificial gift they would give - to move forward such a divinely ordained mission. CHCA s unofficial anthem is entitled Find Us Faithful. An excerpt of the challenging, convicting lyric follows: Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful, May the fire of our devotion light their way. May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe And the lives we live inspire them to obey. Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful. Dear Lord, At this crossroads in the story of CHCA, may we be found faithful in pursuing Your mission and Your vision. May we be found faithful in prayer for Light the Way campaign. And may we be found faithful in obedience to your guidance of our unique sacrificial gift. In Jesus name we pray, Amen