Your Personal Grow-Pray-Study (GPS) Guide

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that He had said these things to her. (John 20:18)

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You are encouraged to use the Journey Through The Book of Acts Devotional (available in the back of the sanctuary or download online at christlamesa.org).

April 18 (Monday): Read Acts 1. 

April 19 (Tuesday): Read Acts 2:1-13. 

April 20 (Wednesday): Read Acts 2:14-41. 

April 21 (Thursday): Read Acts 2:42-3:26. 

April 22 (Friday): Read Acts 4:1-22. 

April 23 (Saturday): Read Acts 4:23-5:11.

Please use the S.O.A.P. actions of observation, application, and prayer for each day's reading:

• Scripture: Read the verses for the day from the Gospel of Luke. Before you start reading, pray:
  “Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.”
• Observation: Observe what the verses say. Think about who it was addressed to and why it was
  written. Ponder the meaning, tone, and purpose. Write down your observations.
• Application: Personalize what you have read by asking yourself: “How does this apply to my life
  right now?” “How will I put this into practice?” “How will I live differently?”
• Prayer: What do I want to thank God for? What do I need to ask for forgiveness for? What do I need to ask God for?

Recent additional GO DEEPER reading opportunities available on Amazon Books (#ads):

• "Who Is This Man?: The Unpredictable Impact of the Inescapable Jesus" by John Ortberg
• "He Chose the Nails" by Max Lucado
• "Dangerous Prayers: Because Following Jesus Was Never Meant to Be Safe" by Craig Groeschel

You can also watch this week's sermon or read the full message & GPS here.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

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Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. (Mark 16:8)

Day 1: Read Mark 16:6. What do you fear? Where do you need to hear the angel’s words: “Don’t be alarmed”?

Day 2: Read Psalm 34:4. David teaches us to flip our fears into prayers. Take time like David to seek God in your prayers today.

Day 3: Read Mark 16:7. One great way to study the Bible is to personalize it. Replace “AND PETER” with your name in this verse. What does it mean for you to realize when Jesus rose for the dead, He rose for you to have a second chance?

Day 4: Read John 20:30-31. How has your faith in the Easter story of Jesus’ resurrection given your life meaning? Who can you share that story with this week?

Day 5: Read John 20:19. Easter turns graves into gardens. Where in your life today do you need to hear Jesus say: “Peace be with you!”?

Day 6: Read Philippians 4:5-7. Like David, Paul learns to flip fears (or in Paul’s case anxiety) into prayer. Give your worry to God in prayer today. Start first by giving Him thanks. Then ask for His peace amid whatever problem you face.

Recent additional GO DEEPER reading opportunities:

• "This Changes Everything: Unleashing the Power of the Resurrection in Your Life" by Ray Johnston (Paperback from Amazon)
• "Discipleship" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Amazon Kindle)
• "Life Together" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Amazon Kindle)
• "Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation" by Ruth Haley Barton (Paperback from Amazon)

You can also watch this week's sermon or read the full message & GPS here.

[email protected] | Give | Keep Calm and Quarantine On

This week’s Grow Pray Study (G.P.S) Guide provides an opportunity for a devotional framework to read through the book of Acts. Each day’s readings are a chapter from Acts and how the church began and still grows.

Before you read, pray:

“Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”

As you read each day, Pastor Burkey encourages you to use the S.O.A.P. method of devotional reading (Scripture, Observe, Apply, Pray):

• Each day offers a Scripture reading.
• Then a place to Observe what you’ve read, what’s happening, what key statements are made. 
• Follow up as you Apply what you’ve just read:
  • How is God speaking to you through what you’ve read? 
  • Where is Jesus' story this week speaking into your life story this day? 
  • You might sense a sin to confess, an action to take, a word of thanksgiving or a special need to pray for someone.
• Take time to Pray to what you have sense God saying to you in this time in His word. In addition, I suggest 2 sentence prayers to end your time with God. Lord, thank you for … ___________ ... Lord, I ask … ___________ … Then close, “In Jesus name. Amen.” 

Day 1: Read Scripture Acts 1. Jesus ascends into heaven!

Day 2: Read Scripture Acts 2. The Church is Born!

Day 3: Read Scripture Acts 3. Lame Man Healed.

Day 4: Read Scripture Acts 4. Persecution Begins, so does Sharing Possessions. 

Day 5: Read Scripture Acts 5. Being Honest with God and Others. 

Day 6: Read Scripture Acts 6. Leaders Developed and Deployed.

You can GO DEEPER this week by reading the book He Still Moves Stones: Everyone Needs a Miracle by Max Lucado.

You can also watch this week's sermon or read the full message & GPS here.

[email protected]

Keep Calm and Quarantine On

This week’s Grow Pray Study (G.P.S) Guide provides an opportunity for a devotional framework as we move through Holy Week, especially leading into Good Friday. Each day’s readings refer to part of Jesus' journey from the Garden of Gethsemane to being place in the tomb. Before you read, pray:

“Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”

As you read each day, Pastor Burkey encourages you to use the S.O.A.P. method of devotional reading (Scripture, Observe, Apply, Pray):

• Each day offers a Scripture reading.
• Then a place to Observe what you’ve read, what’s happening, what key statements are made. 
• Follow up as you Apply what you’ve just read:
  • How is God speaking to you through what you’ve read? 
  • Where is Jesus' story this week speaking into your life story this day? 
  • You might sense a sin to confess, an action to take, a word of thanksgiving or a special need to pray for someone.
• Take time to Pray to what you have sense God saying to you in this time in His word. In addition, I suggest 2 sentence prayers to end your time with God. Lord, thank you for … ___________ ... Lord, I ask … ___________ … Then close, “In Jesus name. Amen.” 

Day 1: Read Scripture John 18:1-14. Jesus arrested. 

Day 2: Read Scripture John 18:15-27. Jesus Tried/Peter Denies.

Day 3: Read Scripture John 18:28-40. Jesus before Pilate.

Day 4: Read Scripture John 19:1-22. Jesus was sentenced to death. 

Day 5: Read Scripture John 19:23-37. Jesus crucified. 

Day 6: Read Scripture John 19:38-42. Jesus is buried. 

You can GO DEEPER this week by reading the book Six Hours One Friday: Living in the Power of the Cross by Max Lucado.

You can also watch this week's sermon or read the full message & GPS here.

Monday: Read Luke 24:6. G.K. Chesterton observed, "Jesus' resurrection is the ground and basis for all true love, hope, and joy; for if Jesus is still in the grave than all of humanity will remain in the grave too. But he is not in the grave, then this makes all the difference." What difference have you seen the resurrection of Jesus make in someone's life? Your own life?

Tuesday: Read Luke 24:7. At least three times Jesus had told His disciples what Luke records here in verse seven.  Why is it significant that Jesus knew what was coming, told His disciples, and then that is what happened?

Wednesday: Read Luke 24:8. What are some significant experiences in your life that you return to in memory and share about with others? Why have these experiences impacted you so?

Thursday: Read Luke 24:44-47. What circumstances helped you to come and see the empty tomb of Jesus with eyes of faith, or what is holding you back from knowing Jesus?

Friday: Read Luke 24:11-12. What one truth in these resurrection appearances stands out as personally significant to you? How have you seen this truth affecting your life already? How would you like it to affect what you do and think more than it does now?

Saturday: Read Luke 24:48. What are the easiest things in life for you to get excited about and want to share with others? What are some of the hardest? Why do think we so instinctively desire to share our experiences with others? Whom can you share the story of Easter with this week?

You can GO DEEPER this week by reading the book "Jesus: The Greatest Life Of All" by Chuck Swindoll.

Don't forget you can watch this week's sermon message or read the full PDF of the sermon message & GPS.

CREATE FOR COMMUNITY PRAYER REQUESTS: For patience with parking challenges during construction (currently estimated as 30% done). For safety and efficiency of our construction crews. For those who have given generously for these improvements.

Photo by Jordan Wozniak on Unsplash

Day 1: Read Mark 16:3-6. The story of the resurrection is not just good news; it's true news. Easter is not a metaphor of some vague hope. Easter means death has no power to take you from the arms of the Father. Guilt cannot separate you from God. Whatever bad news you face, if you have trusted Jesus you have a resurrection coming! Where do you need to remind yourself you have a resurrection coming?

Day 2: Read 1 Corinthians 15:3-6. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead forms the foundation of the Christian faith. Turns out Easter is more than a piece of fake news fantasy, but the real true story of God’s good news for you. Paul writes 20 years after the resurrection of Jesus with 500 plus witnesses including himself. What does it mean for you that Easter is not just a great story, but a true story that actually happened?

Day 3: Read Mark 16:7 and 1 Corinthians 15:8-10. Both Peter and Paul have their own stories of second chances. What’s your story of second chances? Where do you need God’s forgiveness, His second chance for your life today?

Day 4: Read Mark 16:7. God has paved the way. Two disciples who abandoned him and women at the tomb who show up overwhelmed and a bit clueless, Jesus does not abandon them nor you. He paves a path for you to follow – the presence of Jesus leading the way. As you look at your life in the past 24 hours, where have you seen God paving the way before you? As you look at what the next 24 hours holds, where are you asking God to pave the way? Spend time thanking Him for His presence and asking for His guidance as you face the day ahead.

Day 5: Read Isaiah 25:6-9. As a fan of a feast of rich foods, I think that’s absolutely awesome what God can do. Better than your cell phone’s GPS is the God who goes ahead of you--not just in the big changes of life, but the everyday moments that define our lives. Today take the angel’s words to heart, “He is risen. He is going ahead of you”, and then pray through specific moments you will face today (work, school, family, friends), “Jesus is risen and goes before me this day as I...”

Day 6: Read Mark 16:8. If this is the last verse of Mark’s gospel, he provides a bit of a cliffhanger. Somebody told the good news, and will you tell the good news? For Mark, your life is the next chapter in the book--even if the last chapter didn't end the way you wanted it to end--even if it seems like every day ends with a cliff-hanger, you can finish the story. Because Jesus Christ is alive, and He is with you. What story do you sense God writing in your life today? Whom is God inviting you to share the story of Jesus with today?

You can Go Deeper this week by reading the book The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus by Lee Strobel.

Don't forget you can listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS. 

Pastor Burkey delivered this week’s message from God’s Life-building Word based on John 20:30-31 (NIV).

Monday: Read John 20:25 (NIV). Like Thomas, what doubts do you have about life, faith, and God? Everybody lives by faith in something or someone. How do you keep your faith aligned with God when doubt comes?

Tuesday: Read John 20:27 (NIV). How does Jesus deal with Thomas’ doubts? How has God helped you in dealing with your own doubts? Where do you go with your doubts? How can you help someone who, like Thomas, is dealing with doubt?

Wednesday: Read John 20:28-29 (NIV). What questions do you have for God? What answers have you experienced from God to your questions? Jesus blesses us in verse 29 for believing (and then seeing). As you look to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, what leads you to believe? Why?

Thursday: Read Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV). When doubts come, don’t use them as an escape from God, but a straight path to God. Where do you need to lean into trusting God at this point in your life?

Friday: Read John 20:30-31 (NIV). All the stories John includes in his gospel account, including the three involving Thomas (John 11, John 14, and John 20), remind us that God meets us in everyday life with His presence, peace, and power. Where do you need to remember that God is present in your life? Where do you need to experience His peace? Where do you need a touch of His power? Most amazing of all, where is He leading you to bring His presence, peace, and power to someone else’s life?

Saturday: Read Ephesians 3:20 (NIV). God meets us on all the roads of life: Hope Highway, Doubt Drive, Worry Way…What name would you give to the path of life on which God has you right now? Take Paul’s affirmation of God to heart, pray the boldest prayer you can imagine for the path of life before you. Write that prayer down and see what God will do!

You can GO DEEPER this week by reading:

• Know Doubt: Embracing Uncertainty in Your Faith by John Ortberg.

You can also listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS.

Pastor Burkey delivered this week’s Easter message from God’s Life-building Word based on John 20:18 (NIV).

Monday: Read Acts 10:39-40 (NIV). Who are the witnesses that have lead you to experience the power of Easter? Who is God calling you to witness the power of Easter? Why are Peter’s words essential to understanding and experiencing Easter’s power?

Tuesday: Read Acts 10:43 (NIV). How does Peter’s personal experience with forgiveness impact the message he shares with Cornelius? What sins do you need to bring today before Jesus to ask forgiveness? Who might you need to forgive?

Wednesday: Read John 20:4-8 (NIV). John and Peter go to the tomb and John puts the pieces together to believe Jesus is risen. As you look at God at work in your life, what is your theory for where He might be leading you? How does that match up with God’s Word? With experiencing the power of Easter in your life today?

Thursday: Read John 20:15 (NIV). Mary Magdalene hurts and Jesus brings her hope. What hurt do you need to bring before Jesus to receive His gift of hope? Where might Jesus be leading you to help someone hurting to experience the hope Easter brings?

Friday: Read John 1:38 (NIV). Take some time to think through and pray through Jesus question, “What do you want?”  Picture Jesus asking you that question, what is your answer?

Saturday: Read John 20:18 (NIV). When you experience the power of Easter, joy leads you to share the message. Mary Magdalene goes and tells the disciples. Who is God calling you to share the Easter story with? When will you share the Good News with them? Who can you pray for to know and experience the power of Easter?

You can GO DEEPER this week by reading:

• The Case for Easter by Lee Strobel
• He Still Moves Stones by Max Lucado 

You can also listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS.

As we gear up for Holy Week (Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter), Pastor John delivered this week’s message from God’s Life-building Word based on Luke 19:31-32 (NIV).

Monday: Read Colossians 2:6 (NIV). You received Christ by faith, how then should you live? from these passages how would you define faith:  Acts 27:25 (NIV), Romans 4:20-21 (NIV),  and Hebrews 11:1 (NIV).

Tuesday: Read Matthew 21:22 (NIV), Romans 15:13 (NIV), Ephesians 3:12 (NIV), and Ephesians 6:16 (NIV). What does faith make possible?

Wednesday: Read John 15:7 (NIV), Romans 8:28 (NIV), and Galatians 6:7 (NIV). What promise or truth do you see in these passages, and is there a condition placed on the promise or truth? Why do you feel God places conditions on some of His promises?

Thursday: Read Psalm 33:16-17 (NIV), Proverbs 28:26 (NIV), and Jeremiah 9:23 (NIV). What are some unworthy objects in which people may place their faith? Read Mark 11:22 (NIV). Who should be the object of our faith?

Friday: Read Hebrews 11. This is an incredible chapter in the Bible on faith. Read through this entire chapter, taking note of the things accomplished by faith. Which of the things accomplished by faith do you consider to be the most significant? Why did you choose this?

Saturday: Discover how Jehoshaphat used the promises of God. Read 2 Chronicles 20:1-30. What was the first thing Jehoshaphat did? (2 Chronicles 20:3 & 2 Chronicles 20:6-12). How did God answer him? (2 Chronicles 20:15) What was a promise? What was his next response? (2 Chronicles 20:18) How did he encourage others? (2 Chronicles 20:20) What was the result? (2 Chronicles 20:22 & 2 Chronicles 20:27) How can you apply what you've learned here to your life?

Don't forget to invite others to our Easter Services!!

You can also listen to this week's message or read the full PDF of the message & GPS.

Read John 20:21-23. What does the breath of the Holy Spirit bring the disciples?

How are forgiveness and peace related?

Where do you need the Holy Spirit to bring peace and forgiveness in your life today?