Challenges

Some of Jesus’s final words to his closest followers reminded them that they were wired for connection. Jesus said, “If you remain in me, you will bear much fruit, but apart from me you can do nothing.” Peter wanted to believe this; in fact, he experienced connection to Jesus and knew what it is like to experience the life that comes from connection to him. But when Jesus went to the cross, Peter quickly reverted back to relying on his own power and strength by denying he even knew Jesus. Tangled up in the mess of his mistakes, once again Jesus invited him back into the simple way of connection with two words: “Follow me.” In the midst of Peter’s setbacks, Jesus is reminds him, and us, that it's not about what we do for Jesus, it’s all about being with Jesus. For this week's challenge, be intentional about seeking out new or renewed ways to purposefully connecting with Jesus. Through whatever ways you choose to connect more deeply with Jesus, remember that the point of this connection is not production, but simply because Jesus wants more of you and more time with you. It is only by being connected to him that we discover true freedom that comes from knowing we never have to fix or handle things ourselves in this life. 

We can be around Jesus without really being connected to His power and presence. This is where we !nd Simon Peter in Luke 5. Jesus is teaching a large crowd and Simon Peter has a front row seat, yet he seems distracted and discouraged by his lack of production from last night’s !shing excursion. He put in the work but he’s not getting the results he expected. But that all changes when he hears the words of Jesus and puts them into practice, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” A moment of simple trust in and obedience to Jesus changes everything- the fruit comes when Simon Peter’s action is connected to the words and way of Jesus. When all signs point to a disconnection problem, Jesus is inviting us to go deeper with him in trust that apart from him we can do nothing. For this week's challenge, be intentional about pursuing a deep connection with Jesus in all areas of your life, but especially those that you feel stuck in. Secondly, pursue deep connections with others too. There are so many times that we need one another to lean on or might be called on to help through something difficult. God did not create us to live life apart from Christ or apart from one another. 

One of the most dangerous conditions we can experience is spiritual sleepiness. This spiritual sleepiness, or spiritual apathy, can easily sneak up and grab a hold of us if we aren't paying close attention. It can be described as simply becoming tired so that the things that should excite you, just don't excite you. The things that God's passionate about, you're not passionate about any longer. You've, over time, grown cold to the things of God. For this week's challenge, begin by taking some time to examine if you may have become spiritually sleepy and stagnant. Have you grown spiritually recently? Take some time this week to set some intentional goals for your spiritual growth to avoid becoming spiritual apathatic. If you are struggling to come up with goals, consider some spiritual disciplines that we have discussed in the past couple challenges.

After many ups and downs, twists and turns, Joseph sees the dream he had years ago has finally come to fruition. When he is reunited with his brothers, he can finally see how one thing led to another. He explains to them, “What you meant for evil, God was working out for good.” The highest view of God’s sovereignty is not that he is a cosmic micromanager, forcing every event to occur, but that he is wise, in control, and that he is weaving everything together for our good and his glory. For this week's challenge, find some way to serve someone else in a way you haven't before. It could be in a big way, a small gesture, or a weekly commitment to serve in local ministry. We know that when you do those small things, great things can happen through God's power in ways that we don't even see or anticipate. As Christ's followers, we are to seek and save the lost by serving them.

The will of God, in many ways, is beyond our grasp. There are specifics to his plan that we simply do not know, and we certainly cannot control. But even in our uncertainty, we can control our response to God and our response to other people. Joseph found freedom and healing in forgiving his brothers and honoring God. When can’t seem to figure out the next right thing, we can never go wrong by choosing to let love and humility impact our response to people. For this week's challenge, reflect on what you believe someone might owe you from the past, such as money, an explanation, or an apology. God wants to offer you deliverance from those feelings. If you're like Joseph and you have been hurt and wounded, make a decision that you're not gonna live in that hurt anymore and you're going to release it.

Carrying out the will of God is a daily practice, and it’s a difficult discipline of consistent faithfulness. Joseph is given the assignment to prepare the world for a great famine. He spends seven years of his life leading people and overseeing the preparations for the famine. In those seven years, the work may have felt monotonous and thankless, but it was that daily dedication that God used to save many lives. Joseph's mother, Rachel, had shown Joseph as a child what dedication and dependence on God truly looks like. For this week's challenge, be intentional about demonstrating dependence on God in front of others. Whether it be in front of your spouse, your children, coworkers, or friends, set an example of what faithful dependence and dedication to the Lord looks like, such as Rachel did for Joseph.   

When God’s will doesn’t seem to be going our way, our natural instinct is to assume he isn't present in the situation. As Joseph sat in prison he must have struggled with disappointment and disillusionment. Joseph had worked hard and been faithful at every turn, but the train seemed to have run off the tracks. When God’s will leaves us disappointed, when his answers to our prayers seem unfair, when it feels like he has forgotten about us and we are on our own, how do we respond?  For this week's challenge, take some time each day to spend some time in quiet prayer to recognize all the blessings and good moments (big or small) that God was present in. Then, think about the challenges or difficulties you faced throughout the day and reflect on the fact that God was there in those moments as well. His presence sustains us and empowers us to take one more step, even when the darkness is all around. When we feel his presence, all we can do is respond with praise and trust. 

When people remember how God was faithful in the past, they're faithful in the present. But when they forget how God was faithful in the past, they're unfaithful in the present. This is a theme in Scripture. It's why in Exodus 20 God says, when anything good happens, build an altar there to remember. It's why in the ark of the covenant they carried three things to remember God's provision: Aaron's staff, a jar of manna, and the stone tablets.  For this week's challenge, make a God box. You can do this alone or with family or friends. The box doesn't need to be expensive or fancy. Inside this box, place all kinds of mementos or items from times that you believe God acted in your life. By keeping them in the box, you can get them out from time to time and be reminded of how God has been faithful to you. Share a picture of your box or let us know what kinds of items you put in it!  

After having a dream from God of how Joseph would lead and have significant influence, he found himself sold into slavery by his brothers. This didn’t just seem to be the wrong road, it seemed to be going in the opposite direction. There are all kinds of events and circumstances in our lives that are detours but may feel like a dead end. It can be difficult to discern God's will when you find yourself on a detour. For this week's challenge, pray for perspective and ask God to give you faith to trust in him and his ultimate plan. He sees and knows what we don't. And secondly, keep moving forward. When you're on a detour, we naturally want to backtrack or pull over, but you don't know how God is gonna connect the dots. What feels like going backwards might actually be a breakthrough. Share what detour God has you on right now or one that you experienced in the past to encourage others!

Do you believe that God is the Master Weaver? It is quite easy for us to become overwhelmed with life: our wants, dreams, disappointments, fears, and plans. We want to look ahead at our future and know exactly what is coming and when. If we can't see where God is leading us or how He is working out the circumstances in our lives, we can fall into despair. For this week's challenge, every morning begin your day by meditating on the truth that God is presently at work in your life and He is perfectly weaving all things together, in His timing, for His purposes, and for your good. All you are called to do is to be faithful to what He has given you in the present moment and to walk daily with the Lord. At the end of the week, share with a trusted friend or mentor how your perspective was either strengthened or altered from daily mediating on God's faithfulness with your life's circumstances. 

Worship is more than a song - it reveals our priorities and focus. The way we invest our time, money, resources, and gifts speak to what we believe is worth our life. As a community of believers, one of our values is to empty the jar- pouring out our life through extravagant generosity and expressive worship in a way that places our focus and glory on God. Worship is about posturing your heart and life toward sacrifice through giving, serving, and glorifying God through word and deed. For this week's challenge, step out of your comfort zone when you worship! Worship is more than just singing, so in whatever way you choose to worship this week, express your feelings to God in a way that is new or out of your normal routine of worship.  

So many different things and people fight for our attention and pursuit every day. But if we aren't careful, these good things can become idols. We have to intentionally put God first each and every day to avoid falling victim to the idols that promise us what they can never deliver.  For the first part of this challenge, give God the first 24 minutes of every day this week. Whatever time you plan to get up, just set your alarm 24 minutes earlier, and give him the first 1% of your day. By doing this, you show God that you want to pursue him first with all your heart. How you spend this time is up to you; maybe you spend some time in prayer, maybe you read through the Psalms, or maybe you journal.  Secondly, you are challenged to practice the spiritual discipline of fasting. Fasting destroys idol and indicates that God means more to you than whatever you are fasting from. You can choose whatever you want to fast from, but make it something that you recognize as a barrier between you and your relationship with God.

When we meditate on Scripture, we intentionally take time to slow down and soak up every word instead of treating it as something to mark off our daily checklist. By being so intentional, we allow the words of Scripture to move from our heads to our hearts, where God forms us and shapes us. During meditation, we are coming to sit at the feet of Jesus and asking to be transformed by him. For this week's challenge, spend some time each day meditating on Scripture. Find a quiet space without distractions where you can focus on the words you are reading and let them make a place in your heart. Share what difference this made in your week!

Sometimes we get caught up in thinking our prayers need to be eleborate or eloquent. Afterall, we are speaking directly to the creator of the universe and everything in it. However, God doesn't require anything fancy or thoughfully prepared; he just wants to talk to his children. For this week's challenge, speak this very simple prayer when you are in need. Just say, "Jesus, help. Amen." This simple prayer communicates that you know that Jesus is in total control of everything going on in the world, including whatever you are going through, and you trust him to hear your prayer and know your need.  Share what this prayer meant to you this week!

Confession is not a spiritual practice that most of us look forward to participating in. In fact, most of us tend to avoid it for as long as we can. However, Scripture tells us that confession is an integral part of walk with Jesus and how confession brings us closer to others and our Heavenly Father.  For this week's challenge, spend some time in prayer and ask God to reveal what needs confessing in your life. If you feel called to, share this confession with a trusted brother or sister in Christ and allow them to be a part of this spiritual discipline. Your confession might inspire and encourage them to do the same as well!

We have all likely tried a lot of different things to convince people to follow Christ. We've tried gimmicks and we've argued, or even tried to downplay how hard following Jesus is and what he calls you to. Acts 13 shows us that we simply have to get lost people to the Gospel. And the way that will inevitably happen is if we get in God's Word ourselves. For this week's challenge, try to set apart some time in your schedule every day this week to be in God's Word. You'll likely be surprised at the changes you will see if this isn't part of your routine. Share your experiences here on the app with others!