90 Day Challenge- Habit Formed?

GOYOThe 90 Day Challenge is now complete! That certainly doesn’t mean that you can’t continue in your reading or even start it again (or for the first time). Back in January we put out the challenge to read through the New Testament in 90 days to be a kick off to 2013. If you stayed on track, you finished a few days ago.

The big question is did you form a habit? The purpose of the challenge was to help each of us develop the habit of spending time on a regular basis in God’s Word. To grow on our own in our relationship with God, we need to carve out time in our day to spend with Him. Corporate worship, small groups, youth events are great, but they don’t replace our time with God throughout the week.

We are putting together some other (free) resources to help you continue in the habit. If you don’t have another plan after the 90 Day Challenge, make sure to pick one up.

This is a good reminder to us as we apply it to our spiritual growth: “We are made up of the commitments that we make over our life and the habits that we develop.”

90 Day Challenge – The Home Stretch

GOYOIt seems hard to believe, but we are in the home stretch of our 90 Day Challenge. If you have kept up with each day’s reading, we are in the final week. This week takes us into the last book of the Bible – Revelation. While this book can be confusing at times, one thing is clear: Jesus wins! He defeats Satan, sin and death and “makes all things new!” No matter how the details unfold, Jesus will remain King of King and Lord of Lords. Our job is to be faithful to Him, no matter what events occur. As you continue through the challenge, be encouraged! While we don’t know how many chapters there are remaining, we know how The Story ends.

Next week, for those who have finished the challenge, we want to have some resources available to encourage you in continue in your habit of spending time in God’s Word.

Perhaps you want to repeat the 90 Day Challenge and read through the New Testament again. I have a resource on my desk right now called “31 Days with Jesus.” It is a 30 day plan to read through the Gospel of Matthew. We will have a few more that are designed to encourage you in your time with God.

90 Day Challenge – Week 11

GOYOLast week took us through the book of Hebrews and into the book of James. The writer of Hebrews speaks to the fact that Jesus is our Great High Priest, that He is far superior to the sacrifices that were offered in the past. By His one sacrifice, He took care of all of our sin. One of the verses that stuck out to me was 10:14 – “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Jesus came to rescue us and overcome sin and death for us. Sometimes the letter of Hebrews is hard to understand, but contains such great truth.

The letter of James is so practical, making sure to tell us that we need to live out what we believe. It’s not enough to say we know God; we need to show it in what we do.

I hope the time you are spending in God’s Word through the 90 Day Challenge is helping you grow in your relationship with God. We are getting near the end of the challenge and I hope it’s helping to create a habit that will continue past the 90 days.

We plan to have some resources available after the challenge is over so you can continue to grow through time in His Word.

Keep up the good work!

90 Day Challenge – Week 10

GOYOI missed posting about our 90 Day Challenge last week as I was out-of-town, but hopefully you have kept pace with the readings each week. Today is Day #72! We are in the home stretch of the challenge. Whether you are right on pace or still a bit behind, don’t give up! Keep spending time each day in God’s Word and continue that habit.

We had a handful of responses to our one question survey just to see how things were going. Out of the 11 responses I received, 7 are behind, but working on it and the other 4 are on track. Again, the key is that we are finding time each day to spend with God. Our focus is the word habit.

If you didn’t respond to the survey, we’d still love to hear from you. Click here to go the one question response form.

This week we looked at some of the letters Paul wrote, including 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus.  In those words, we see Paul’s heart for these men who were serving God in difficult circumstances.  He encouraged them to continue in their work and to be faithful to the life God called them to live.  Pretty good advice for us as well.

90 Day Challenge – Week 8

GOYOToday is Day 57 and the start of week #9 in our 90 Day Challenge! I hope you are encouraged by the time you are spending with God in His Word.

Yesterday we finished the book of Galatians and were reminded that Jesus is all we need!  There were some people around the Galatian church who were trying to add to what Jesus did for us through His death on the cross.  They were saying you had to accept Jesus and follow the Old Testament Law.  Paul said Jesus was enough.  His death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave satisfied our need for a Savior. In Galatians 2:20-21 he writes,

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

What Jesus did is enough to save us.  We don’t need to keep the Old Testament Law to be made right with God.  Everything we do should in gratitude for what Jesus did, not our effort to try to gain His approval.

Keep up the good work of the 90 Day Challenge. Remember that our goal is to develop the habit of spending time with God.  If you are right on track, behind or even ahead of schedule, keep opening His Word and listen to what He has to say.

90 Day Challenge – Week 7

GOYOWe are over half-way through our 90 Day Challenge and today will take us into Day 50. Today’s reading also brings us into 2 Corinthians. There are some tough issues that Paul has to deal with in the church of Corinth, but as you read the letter, you see how deeply cares for the church. The letters to the Corinthian church help us understand how to deal with delicate issues in the church family.

We need your help! Since we are over half-way through this challenge, it would be great to get a sense of how things are going. There is a very short, anonymous form you can respond to that will help us see how things are going. If you took the challenge, please take 30 seconds to give your response.

Whether you are on track, behind or using a different plan, our goal is develop a habit of spending time with God.  Small investments over time will lead to a growing relationship.  Keep it up!

90 Day Challenge – Week 6

GOYOWe are continuing in our 90 Day Challenge and getting so very close to the halfway point. If you are on track with the challenge, this Wednesday will mark Day 45 – the midpoint of our 90 Day challenge. If you are not on track, don’t despair. Don’t give up. Don’t wave the white flag. Don’t throw your hands in the air in sheer frustration. Pick up wherever you are and continue on. Please remember – the goal is not to finish the challenge on April 6. The primary purpose of the 90 Day Challenge is to help us develop the habit of spending time with God in His Word. Most habits don’t come easily, especially when we have an enemy who wants to keep us from spending time in God’s Word. So, keep at it. Don’t give up. Press on!

This week is taking us through the book of Romans.  Martin Luther referred to this book as the Masterpiece of Scripture.  It can be challenging at times to follow what Paul is saying, but there are so many great truths in the book.  If you need to, take some time to re-read the verses and seek to understand what Paul is saying.

Keep up the good work of going through the 90 Day Challenge.  God speaks to us through His Word.

90 Day Challenge – Week 5

GOYOYesterday’s reading completed Day 35, which signified the end of week 5 in our 90 Day Challenge. Now that we are over one-third of the way through, hopefully we are saying consistent in our reading and, more than that, growing in our understanding of God and His Word.

We are moving swiftly through the book of Acts and it presents such a great picture of what the church should look like. As they met together, they shared whatever they had with one another and met each other’s needs. Because of how they loved each other and treated each other, God brought more people into their fellowship. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of a group that loved genuinely and served selflessly?

As persecution comes on the church, the followers of Jesus spread out from city to city and village to village. As they went, they shared what they knew about Jesus. As you read the sermons and testimonies that were shared, the followers of Jesus always came back to His life, death and resurrection. It was simply about Jesus.

Hopefully we are reminded and encouraged to simply share what we know about Jesus with those we encounter. Keep up the good work in your 90 Day Challenge.

90 Day Challenge – Week Four

GOYOYesterday we concluded week four in our 90 Day Challenge. Today’s reading concludes our time in the Gospels and moves us into the book of Acts and then into the letters of the New Testament. Also, after completion of Tuesday’s reading, we will be one-third of the way through out challenge! I’m hoping that all of those who have accepted the challenge are staying with it or trying to get caught up. Again – remember – the goal is to create a habit of spending time with God through His Word. We gain when we grow in our walk with God.

As we read through the Gospel of John, we were reminded why spending time in His Word is important. In chapter 15, Jesus uses the word picture of vine and branches. He states very clearly in verse 5 who plays what role: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Sometimes we need that simple, yet straightforward reminder that we need to stay connected to the vine. Regardless of our best efforts or ideas or plans, apart from Him, we can do nothing. Only by staying connected to Him can we bear fruit.

As we continue to go through our 90 Day Challenge – or use whatever reading plan you are on – remember that image. He is our source of life and health and growth and we need to remain connected to Him.

Keep it up!

90 Day Challenge – Week Three

GOYOWe are done with week three of our 90 Day Challenge. Yesterday was day #21 and we are beginning week four today. If you are taking the challenge, stop for a moment and give yourself a hand (go ahead, I’ll wait)…

I do think it is important to celebrate our progress along the way. Maybe for some of us, this has been the most consistent we’ve been or even the longest we’ve stayed with a reading plan. Even if you have fallen behind, don’t get discouraged. Remember – our goal is to develop the habit of spending time regularly with God. The 90 Day Challenge is just a tool to do that.

One thing that has grabbed my attention as we have gone through the Gospel of Luke is Jesus’ teaching on prayer. In Luke 11 the disciples ask Him to teach them to pray. He gives the model prayer and then tells a story about a neighbor who comes at midnight and knocks on the door asking for bread. In Luke 18 we hear the Parable of the Persistent Widow. In both stories, the point seems to be that a request is granted because the person was persistent in asking.

In Luke 11, the NIV uses this phrase to describe the request: “shameless audacity.” In Luke 18, the judge grants the widow’s request because she “keeps bothering” him.

Jesus characterizes God as a Father who cares about His children and loves to give good gifts to them. So, rather than seeing God as a judge to be bothered or a neighbor to be woken up, we should see God as a Father who wants us to ask. The takeaway from these two teachings for me has been that I should ask God for the things on my heart. As I look at the decisions that need to be made in the coming months, I should ask God for His direction. I guess the question I could ask myself is this: have I brought my requests to God with “shameless audacity?”