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Developing Leaders To Fulfill The Great Commission LeaderTreks is a student leadership development ministry using curriculum, innovative training, and trips to help students identify and develop their personal leadership skills. We are calling the church to join us in making leadership development a core of youth ministry. To that end, we partner with youth workers who are passionate about developing the next generation of leaders in the church and culture. Our resources challenge and change participants. Students gain confidence and motivation, and a new vision for how they can lead and serve others. Learning from the Master: 40 Days with Jesus Copyright 2007 by LeaderTreks All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright holder, except as permitted by USA law. Published by LeaderTreks 25W560 Geneva Road, Suite 30, Carol Stream, IL 60188 630.668.0936 All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-934577-07-3 For a free catalog of LeaderTreks resources, call 877.502.0699 or visit our website (www.leadertreks.com)
Table of Contents Introduction 2 How to Use this Devotional 3 Learning from the Master 6 Prayer Journal / ACTS 89 What's Next? 101 Copyright 2007 LeaderTreks 1
Learning from the Master 40 days is a long time. A lot can happen in forty days. God sent rain on the earth for forty days and destroyed wicked humanity. Moses spent 40 days on the mountain of God writing down the Old Testament law. The Israelite spies spent forty days in the promised land only to return convinced that they could not be successful. Elijah traveled for forty days and forty nights to reach the mountain of God. There He experienced a powerful God who could roar in a whisper. Jesus spent forty days and forty nights alone in the desert. His faith was tested at his weakest point physically, and yet He did not give in. Jesus knew the power of sharing His life with others. He spent much of His time with just a few chosen individuals. Men who ate with Him, traveled with Him, and slept in the same places. During their time with Jesus, the disciples were transformed. They started merely as fishermen, tax collectors, vagabonds. In the end they became world changers. Spending time with Jesus fundamentally changes a person. This book is an invitation to spend forty days with Jesus. Open your life to Him. Learn from the way He lived, what He taught, how He loved others. Allow your time with the Master to shape and mold you. A lot can happen in forty days. Let these next forty days change your life. 2 Copyright 2007 LeaderTreks
How to Use this Devotional This is a not an ordinary devotional. LeaderTreks devotionals are not step by step studies of Scripture. They are designed to help you learn how to study the Bible. On the following pages you will find a title for each passage, the Scripture reference, and a variety of Bible study methods. The goal for each passage is to give you the opportunity to study God's Word on your own. If there is a study method that you like most and seems to work the best for you, then apply that study method to your own Bible study after completing this devotional. LeaderTreks goal for this book is for it to be used as a tool to help you study Scripture now and in the future. Each study method contains a section that asks you to apply the passage to your life. Application is of utmost importance to a disciple of Christ. Be sure to make your applications measurable. A measureable application is one that is specific to who, what, where, when, how and has a plan for accountability. How to Use this Devotional for a Small Group This devotional works great as part of a small group study. To most effectively use this tool have participants study the passage and go through the Bible study method, on their own, before coming to the group meeting. Discuss the group's answers and insights to each section of the Bible study method. A great idea for going in depth is to ask participants follow-up questions to their answers. The goal of follow-up questions is to get deeper into their lives and uncover how the truths of Scripture can be applied to specific areas of their lives. Make sure to stress application and accountability with the participants. Model openness and honesty to the group. The group will only go as deep as you model it. This can be a powerful tool for personal devotions or small group studies. Just remember, you will only get out of it what you put in to it. On the next page you will find a sample devotional page. Copyright 2007 LeaderTreks 3
Action Steps Read Joshua 3 and 4 When the situation seems insurmountable, it is easy to turn back. This, however, is the finest hour to be tested on your commitment to your faith in the project. The Jordan River is at flood level, yet God has ordered that Joshua and the nation cross it. The danger of crossing a flooded river with 2,000,000 plus people would have chased most of us back into a shelter, but Joshua took action. He knew that there was a plan to defend his people against the water and it began with them stepping into the water. Use the FACT SHEET Method to study this passage and learn some lessons from the life of Joshua. List Make a list of all the facts you can find in the passage. This will take you the most time because every passage has many. For example, here are a few from John 3:16: God loves the world. He gave His Son. You must believe in Jesus. Joshua rose early in the morning (3:1) They waited three days on the banks of the Jordan before crossing (3:1) The Ark went before them symbolizing that God lead them into the Promised Land (3:3) Risk Takers the Levites had to take a risk and walk into an overflowing rushing river and trust God to do what He said He would. (3:15) Crossed over on dry ground, in a river bed. God really took care of the Israelites by even drying out the ground on which they stood(3:17) Joshua set up reminders for all of Israel to remember the day God brought them into the Promised Land. (4:2-9) Men of war crossed over in battle array, ready to fight (4:13) God exalted Joshua in the eyes of men (4:14) all he had to do was do what God said 4 Copyright 2007 LeaderTreks
Link Write a brief summary of the passage by linking all the facts together. For John 3:16, you might say, God loves us more than anything else and He really wants us to live eternally with Him. But we have to believe in Jesus to do that; otherwise, we re dead. God required major faith from His people, He asked Joshua to believe that a seemingly crazy plan would work. He then asked the Israelites (all 2 million of them) to pack up and walk toward the rushing river. He then asked the priests to stand in the middle of the river. After the people crossed the river Joshua set up some memorials to remind Israel of God's faithfulness so that they would never forget. One memorial was in the middle of the river while another was on the banks where Israel had crossed. On that day Israel began to revere Joshua as their new leader. All the nations will know that God was on the side of Israel because of the amazing thing He did when He dried up the river for the Israelites. Live Explain how you can live out the passage. What difference does it make in your life? Be specific each application should tell who, what and when. The best applications will be something you can do today to live out the passage. Example: "Today I will encourage every team member by writing them a note because I know that is one way I can show love to people like God did in this passage." Joshua, the Levites, and all of Israel were risk takers. Because of their willingness to take a risk God blessed them. Today I am going to take a risk by really getting to know John by sitting with him at all the meals and challenging him to live a Christian life when we return home. (Excerpt from A Vow to Defend : A Study of the Life of Joshua) Copyright 2007 LeaderTreks 5
Born of a Virgin Read Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-38 We have heard the story many times. Every time we sit down in church on Christmas Eve, we hear the story of Jesus' birth. Have you ever thought of what it would be like to be in Mary's or Joseph's sandals? These teenagers had to be shocked when the angel delivered the news. Joseph knows the community will frown upon Mary being pregnant with them not yet married. Joseph and Mary are trying to understand their situation in light of the prophesies they have heard. They aren't sure how to explain it, but they know they will be raising the Messiah. Use the NEWSPAPER Method (who, what, where, when, why and how) to discover all the details. Who? Make a list of all the major characters in the passage. What? What are the examples the author uses to make his points? Where? Where do you see these issues lived out in your life? 6 Copyright 2007 LeaderTreks
When? When are these problems an issue for you? Why? Why was it so important to include these problems? How? How does this apply to your life? How are you going to live differently today because of what you read? Remember: Applications should tell who, what and when. Copyright 2007 LeaderTreks 7