Dan Gould

Tag: Awakening by Chris Tomlin

  • Bible Challenge – Mark 1

    “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”  v.35 (NLT)

    When was the last time you went to an isolated place to pray and talk with God?

    I confess, if I don’t intentionally carve out time to pray and talk with God, it’s easy to get caught up in the day to day things that are beckoning my attention.  But, Jesus had to deal with the demands of the day-to-day things also.  Jesus knew what was at stake and He still made time to meet with God.  He understood that this time was the most important time of the day for him.  This was where he would talk with God and hear from God. He didn’t get caught up in doing the work of God, and not being with God.  He understood the importance of having time alone with the Father and protected it, modeled it, and made time for it.

    Today, have you intentionally set up times to meet with God? Are you protecting it, modeling it, and making time for it?

  • Bible Challenge – Matthew 9

    “For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” v 13 (NLT)

    Pride is a dangerous thing.  It causes us to think we are healthier and better than we really are.  It’s a way that we can look good on the outside, and not deal with the insecurities, motives, hurt, sickness, … that is going on on the inside.  However, there is real freedom when we are able to step outside of the pride that tries to hold us back.  When we don’t fear what others might think and deal with our greatest needs and what truly makes us who we are, our pride begins to diminish and our humility begins to live.  This is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of true inner strength and beauty.

    Jesus says, that until we realize that we don’t have it all together, we will think that we have no need for Him.  When we admit that we don’t have it all together, that the place were we can begin to see Jesus do is greatest work in our lives.

    Today, has pride kept you from being honest with yourself? What areas do you need to turnover to Jesus so you can experience the victory found in Him through humility?

     

  • Bible Challenge – 2 Corinthians 5

    “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’” v.20

    Every-time I read this i get the chills of excitement and the chills of fear.  I am excited that I get to represent Christ to the world, but then I think about the magnitude of that statement and the responsibility I have to represent Him.  It’s often said that people won’t read the Bible but they will read your life! It leaves us asking the question, what are people really seeing in me.  I’m not talking about the things i say I believe, I am talking about the day-to-day me, what do they see, and as they read my life, am I representing Christ in a worthy way? This is the question, this is the calling, and this is the challenge that every Christ Follower should evaluate their life on.

    Today, How will you represent Christ? What will others see from your life today? Will they see Christ by you actions, your words, your convictions, your attitude, and your service?