Your Personal Grow-Pray-Study (GPS) Guide

SUNDAY (Day 34): At some point today, gather your family or roommates or friends and share what God has done for you. This might be over dinner. Pray with your family and have everyone in the family pray at least one sentence. Try doing this as a family for a week. If you don’t know what to pray, start by thanking God for all He has done. 

MONDAY (Day 35): Read Matthew 25:35 - “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Say hello to some neighbors you haven’t met yet. Get in a new social circle and meet new people. Try talking to someone you’ve seen before, but haven’t taken the time to really get to know yet. 

TUESDAY (Day 36): Read Acts 1:8 - “You will be my witnesses.” Write down your testimony. Think of this as your “elevator pitch”. You have a limited amount of time to tell a story – make that time count! Here’s an example of what you can focus on (you can use this as a template):

• What your life was like before Christ (or what it would have been like).
• How you came to know Christ.
• Point to the Gospel. Share that Christ alone, not works, has saved you.
• How your life is different today because of Christ.
• Share a passage of Scripture which means a great deal to you.

WEDNESDAY (Day 37): Read Luke 9:60 - “Go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” This is a hard one. We want you to record a video of the testimony you wrote yesterday. That takes guts – because you’re putting yourself out there. Remember, Jesus goes with you in all things. Don’t underestimate what God can do through you and your story. 

THURSDAY (Day 38): Read Mark 16:15 - “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Write down five people in your life who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Talk to one of those five today about your testimony. Make a plan over the next month to speak with the other four. This should go without saying, but make sure when you talk with them that you are also there to listen to them about anything they may be going through.  

FRIDAY (Day 39): Read John 15:16 - “You did not choose Me, but I chose and appointed you.” Just as God chose you before you ever did anything to please Him, choose someone today who hasn’t done anything to earn your favor and find a way to bless that person. 

SATURDAY (Day 40): Read Matthew 28:19 - “Go therefore and make disciples.”  Identify one to two people who are mature disciples of Jesus and ask them to mentor you. If you are already a mature follower of Jesus Christ, seek out one or two people to whom you could be a mentor. 

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

Monday (Day 28): Read Mark 6:37 - "You give them something to eat."

Tuesday (Day 29): Read Matthew 25:35 - "For I was hungry and you gave me food."

Wednesday (Day 30): Read Matthew 25:36 - "I was naked and you gave me clothing."

Thursday (Day 31): Read Matthew 23:23 - "Do not neglect the tithe."

Friday (Day 32): Read Mark 10:21 - "Sell all that you possess and give to that poor."

Saturday (Day 33): Read Acts 20:35 - "It is better to give than receive."

Sunday (Day 34 - Begin week of Going): Read Luke 8:39 - "Return to your home and declare how much God has done for you."

More information about the Red Letter Challenge (RLC)!

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

CREATE FOR COMMUNITY: Construction is almost done! The grand opening celebration is planned for Sunday, February 9, 2019.

SUNDAY (DAY 20) CHALLENGE PREP:

Pray for a “Because you say so, I will” (BYSSIW) attitude. Leave sticky notes around your house, on the bathroom mirror, in your car, and at your workplace to remind you that all you do gives glory to God, your Father.

MONDAY READING (DAY 21) & SERVICE CHALLENGE:

Read Mark 9:35 - “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant to all.”

Find a way to put someone else’s needs before yours today. Here are some examples of how this might look:

• Be compassionate, even when you don’t want to be.
• Give your snack, that you eat on your drive, to the homeless person on the corner. 
• Ask someone “How can I make your day better?”, and then do it.
• Instead of deciding on what restaurant YOU want to go to, ask a friend if you can take them to dinner somewhere – THEIR CHOICE. 

TUESDAY READING (DAY 22) & SERVICE CHALLENGE:

Read Luke 14:13 - “When you give a dinner, invite the poor, crippled, lame, etc.”

Serve someone who will not be able to give you anything in return. Here are some examples:

• Host a dinner party for some people you know who could use a break. 
• Offer to watch someone’s children while they have a date-night or just a nap.
• Team up with some people to feed the homeless.

WEDNESDAY READING (DAY 23) & SERVICE CHALLENGE:

Read Matthew 22:39 - “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Do something for a neighbor. Show them you care, no strings attached. Here are some examples:

• Cut their lawn (not if it’s artificial grass).
• Take them Starbucks.
• Bake them cookies.
• Take their garbage bins back from the street for them. 

THURSDAY READING (DAY 24) & SERVICE CHALLENGE:

Read Matthew 19:14 - “Let the little children come to me.”

Serve a child who is in your life today, and let this child know how important he or she is to you. Here are some examples:

• Take a kid out to eat (after asking the parent’s permission first!).
• Give a special gift.
• Listen to their stories and engage in conversation.
• Welcome them as Jesus welcomed the little children, letting them know they are not a bother. 

FRIDAY READING (DAY 25) & SERVICE CHALLENGE:

Read Matthew 25:35-36 - “I was sick and you took care of me.”

If you know someone sick, visit that person. Here are some examples of how to do that:

• Encourage, support, or call him/her.
• If you can’t do that, then send a gift or message to someone who is sick or recovering. 
• If you don’t know anyone personally who is sick, look at the page in the bulletin of who we are praying for, and write out a card and prayer for them. 

SATURDAY READING (DAY 26) & SERVICE CHALLENGE:

Read Matthew 5:16 - “Let your light shine before others.”

• Serve God today in one of the following ways:
• Sign-up for the First Impressions Team on Sunday at christlamesa.org/firstimpressions.
• Sign-up to join a Sunday Volunteer Team at christlamesa.org/volunteer.
• Volunteer at a food pantry or soup kitchen
• Volunteer with your local Habitat for Humanity.

SUNDAY READING (DAY 27 - 1^ST DAY OF GIVING):

Read Luke 6:35 - “Lend, expecting nothing in return.”

More information about the Red Letter Challenge (RLC)!

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

CREATE FOR COMMUNITY: Construction is almost done! The grand opening celebration is planned for Sunday, February 9, 2019.

You can also deep dive into the "12 STEPS OF FORGIVENESS" that Pastor Travis shared during this week's sermons.

Monday (Day 14): Read John 8:7 - Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.

Tuesday (Day 15): Read Matthew 7:1 - Judge not.

Wednesday (Day 16): Read Luke 6:36 - Be merciful.

Thursday (Day 17): Read Matthew 6:12 - Forgive others their trespasses.

Friday (Day 18): Read Matthew 5:44 - Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Saturday (Day 19): Read John 8:11 - Go now and leave your life of sin.

Sunday (Day 20 - Begin week of Serving): Read John 14:15 - If you love me, you will obey my commands.

More information about the Red Letter Challenge (RLC)!

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

CREATE FOR COMMUNITY: Construction is almost done! The grand opening celebration is planned for Sunday, February 9, 2019.

Photo by Felix Koutchinski on Unsplash

In this week's Red Letter Challenge (Week 3) sermon, Pastor Travis shared the 12 STEPS OF FORGIVENESS that has been adapted from the 12 Steps of AA:

1. I admit that I am powerless when it comes to forgiving those who have hurt me or betrayed me; my life has become unmanageable.
2. I believe that following the words of Jesus and pursuing Him can restore me to sanity.
3. I want to turn my will and my life over to the care of Christ Jesus.
4. I am making a searching and fearless moral inventory of myself.
5. I admit to God, to myself, and to others, the exact nature of my wrongs- my inability to see the perpetrator in the way that God sees the perpetrator.
6. I am ready for God to remove all my defects of character- the bitterness and hatred that fester within.
7. I humbly ask God to remove my shortcomings- my failures to forgive and to love as Christ loves.
8. I am making a list of all persons I have harmed, and I am willing to make amends with them all- all the people I projected my hurts upon, or took my anger out on, out of bitterness.
9. I am making direct amends with such people wherever possible, except, when to do so would injure them or others.
10. I am continuing to take a personal inventory, and when I am wrong, I will promptly admit it- continually feeling, evaluating, transforming, and forgiving.
11. I seek, through prayer and worship, to improve my conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for me and the power to carry that out.
12. In having a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, I will carry this message to others who struggle to forgive, and will practice these principles in all my affairs.

“If God is known for grace, how can we, His followers, be known for judgement, the exact opposite?”
- Zach Zehnder, The Red Letter Challenge

TIP! -- When you develop the habit of reading God’s Word, you can use these 3 questions that Pastor Burkey picked up from Pastor Tim Keller to go deeper in your study:

• Adore: What did you learn about God for which you could praise or thank Him?
• Admit: What did you learn about yourself for which you could repent?
• Aspire: What did you learn about life that you could aspire to, ask for, and act on?

Monday - Day 7: Read Matthew 9:38 -- Pray earnestly.

Tuesday - Day 8: Read Luke 4:8 -- Worship the Lord your God.

Wednesday - Day 9: Read Mark 6:31 -- Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.

Thursday - Day 10: Read Matthew 6:17 -- And when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face.

Friday - Day 11: Read Luke 15:23 -- Let us eat and celebrate.

Saturday - Day 12: Read Mark 2:27 -- The Sabbath was made for man.

Sunday - Day 13 (Begin Week of Forgiving): Read Mark 1:15 -- Repent and believe the Good News.

More information about the Red Letter Challenge (RLC)!

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

CREATE FOR COMMUNITY: Construction is almost done! The grand opening celebration is planned for Sunday, February 9, 2019.

Monday - Day 0 (Start by Reading Introduction). By putting God’s words literally into practice, you will find the life God has made for you! 

Tuesday - Day 1. Read Psalm 46:10. “Be still and know that I am God...” 

Wednesday - Day 2. Read Ephesians 2:8-9. “For by grace you have been saved through faith…” 

Thursday - Day 3. Read 1 Peter 3:15. “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 

Friday - Day 4. Read John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son...” 

Saturday - Day 5. Read John 20:21. “Just as the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.” 

Sunday - Day 6 (Begin Week of Being). Read John 8:31. “Abide in My Word.” 

More information about the Red Letter Challenge (RLC)!

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 estimating completion by the end of February 2020). For safety and efficiency of our construction crews. For those who have given generously for these improvements.

Photo by Chase Clark on Unsplash

Don't forget to sign up for the Red Letter Challenge (RLC)!

Day 1: Read Matthew 2:12. As you look at the year ahead, where do you believe God might want to work more closely in your life with Him and with others? 

Day 2: Read Hebrews 11:6. 2020 vision for the year ahead invites you to trust God to work it out. As you look back at 2019, how did you see God work things out in your life? 

Day 3: Read Matthew 2:2. In order to find Jesus, every one of us needs direction. The good news is that God gives it through His Word. What are your plans for spending time in God’s Word on a regular basis in 2020? (GPS and the Red Letter Challenge are 2 potential ways!) 

Day 4: Read Matthew 2:4-6. The wise men follow the star and that leads them to Jerusalem. But it took God’s Word to lead them to Jesus. What are some of the major life lessons you learned from God’s Word in 2019? Are you ready for the Red Letter Challenge? Do you have the book to start day 1 on January 14th? Have you chosen the service you will attend each weekend starting January 11th-12th? Have you joined a Life Group to attend? 

Day 5: Read Matthew 2:11. According to the gift giving practices of the day, gold was the gift for a king; frankincense was the gift for a priest; and myrrh was the gift for one who is to die — it was used to embalm the bodies of the dead. When the wise men brought their gifts to Jesus, they brought gifts that indicated who He truly is — the king of kings, the great high priest, the one who would die for the sins of the world. The wisemen’s gifts are an act of worship. Think of the gifts you give to Jesus of your time, talents and treasure, how do they declare who Jesus truly is? In what area might God be calling you to grow in giving gifts to Him in the year ahead? What will your next step be? 

Day 6: Read Matthew 2:10. Not just filled with joy, but the wisemen take joy to a new level – mega-joy. It turns out that worship is not just when you bow before the Christ child, but when you celebrate that God is leading you to Him each day and each moment. His signs aren’t to merely get you to the destination. His signs are to help you realize He is with you every day and every moment of the year ahead. When it comes to worshiping God, what filled your heart with mega-joy in the last year? As you look ahead to this year, what mega-joy do you anticipate? 

You can GO DEEPER this week by reading the book Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ by Tim Keller.

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 estimating completion by the end of January 2020). For safety and efficiency of our construction crews. For those who have given generously for these improvements.

1. Commit to take the challenge. You can pickup a workbook in the Fireside Room on Sunday morning. 
2. Worship with us every week of the challenge. Our message series will follow each week of the challenge. 
3. Join a Life Group (or lead one). Life is better when you’re with others.