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NOW WHAT?PRACTICAL TIPS FOR YOUR FAITH JOURNEY

By Kingdom Building Ministries’ Speakers:Adrian Despres, Efrem Smith, Dwight Robertson, Johnny V, Foster Christy, and Caleb Bislow with Jeff Baxter and Mark Vermilion

Written and compiled by Kim Nentrup

KBM PUBLISHING

Now What? Practical Tips for Your Faith Journey

© 2007 Kingdom Building Ministries

Published by KBM Publishing,

14485 E. Evans Ave., Aurora, CO 80014.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture references are from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers. Bold lettering indicates emphasis added by the author.

No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other without the permission of the publisher.

Requests to use the material contained in this book should be sent in writing to:

Publisher, Kingdom Building Ministries,

14485 E. Evans Ave., Aurora, CO, 80014.

Or to: [email protected].

Book design by Chris Turner.

ISBN: 0-9788142-1-5

INTRODUCTION ›› FIRST THING’S FIRST 3

CHAPTER 1 ›› MAKING SOME CHANGES 7Tips For First Steps 11Start Here: Apply what you have learned 12

CHAPTER 2 ›› READING THE BIBLE 13Tips For Studying Scripture 16Start Here: Apply what you have learned 18

CHAPTER 3 ›› PRAYING 21Tips For Prayer 25Start Here: Apply what you have learned 27

CHAPTER 4 ›› WORSHIPING GOD 29Tips For Worshiping God 32Start Here: Apply what you have learned 33

CHAPTER 5 ›› HANGING OUT WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS 35Tips For Finding Christian Fellowship 38Start Here: Apply what you have learned 39

CHAPTER 6 ›› OBEYING GOD 41Tips For Obeying God 45Start Here: Apply what you have learned 46

CHAPTER 7 ›› SHARING YOUR FAITH 47Tips For Sharing Your Faith 51Start Here: Apply what you have learned 52

APPENDIX ›› MORE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GROW 53

2 NOW WHAT? ›› PRACTICAL TIPS FOR YOUR FAITH JOURNEY

CONTENT

NOW WHAT? ›› PRACTICAL TIPS FOR YOUR FAITH JOURNEY 3

INTRODUCTIONFIRST THING’S FIRST


INTRODUCTION ›› FIRST THING’S FIRST

Deciding to believe Jesus and follow Him takes a serious gut level decision. The Bible tells us that “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved,” (Romans 10:12-15). Have you called out to God? Have you confessed the wrong things you have done that have hurt Him (your sins), and accepted Jesus’ death on the cross as forgiveness for these sins? If so, He has forgiven you fully and joyfully adopted you as His child.

We hope the tips and tools in this book will guide you along so that every day, despite how you feel, you can decide keep walking with Jesus.

Life is now an adventure-filled journey in a relationship with your Heavenly Father. In this book are suggestions on how to keep this new relationship strong. These tips are like a map for your journey of faith.

YOU WON’T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE ITMost people have an emotional high after making a decision to follow Jesus. But, over time emotions will come and go. The newness of your relationship with Christ will start to wear off.

“Being a Christian isn’t easy. There are times when you have to struggle through it. But it’s so worth it! And in the end, it’s going to be so much more important than anything else in your life.” James, student

NOW WHAT? Does it mean that God has taken back His forgiveness of your sins? Does it mean that Jesus is no longer walking closely with you? Does it mean that you no longer have a relationship with Him?

No, that’s not at all what it means! Your sins are still forgiven. You’re still in relation-ship with God. And He’s still right there with you…whether you feel like it or not! God tells us, in Hebrews 13:5, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

What it does mean is that you can’t rely on your emotions. Sometimes you will be excited about God and other time you won’t be. Sometimes He will feel close to you and sometimes you’ll feel like He’s far away.

But here’s the deal: God loves you and wants to walk with you through each step of your life…regardless of how you feel or when you blow it.

“In the hard times, you can go to God and be honest. He knows what you’re struggling with even before you tell Him. He’ll give you… strength to get through it.” Alex, student

The problem is that you have a spiritual enemy—his name is Satan. He wants you to think that God doesn’t love you…or that God is like a big combat boot in the sky—ready to stomp on you whenever you do something wrong. Satan is the enemy of God, and he will try to discourage you and tempt you to give up on your relationship with God.

The Bible calls Satan a “roaring lion” who’s “looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He wants to devour you. He’ll tempt you, trick you, lie to you, discourage you, and try to make you feel like a miserable failure. If you let him cause you to give up, Satan wins. And you lose.

But if you resist his lies and draw closer to God, Satan loses. And you win.

TImE TO PUT YOUR FAITH IN ACTIONThe forgiveness you have received is a gift from God. You can’t earn forgiveness by anything you do. Not anything! However, your faith will be proven by your actions. They’re part of life with Christ.

Put your faith in action by changing your habits and choices. Making a decision to follow Jesus means doing something about it. As you climb over mountains of emotional highs with God and trudge through valleys of hard times, God will lead you.

Right now, you might be wondering which way to go. The tips in this book will help direct you as you walk toward a close relationship with God. The best thing you can do right now is attack your new life with all you have and start acting in faith.

We want to help you fuel the spiritual fire that God has ignited in your heart. We want it to stay lit and grow. In fact, we want your little flame to turn into a raging bonfire!

And we want you to have meaning and purpose that lasts a lifetime—the meaning and purpose that only God can bring to your life.

WATCH OUT: These tips aren’t a checklist! You aren’t a better Christian because of all the things you do. You could never do all these things, and shouldn’t even try!

Jesus cares about what is in your heart. These tips will help you keep your heart pure and your faith strong.

Chapter one will give you a good foundation. After reading it you can dig deeper into more tools for your journey.

Go after it like it was a quest. It is.


INTRODUCTION ›› FIRST THING’S FIRST



CHAPTER 1mAKING SOmE CHANGES


OUT WITH THE OLD; IN WITH THE NEWIf you’ve placed your belief in Jesus, confessed your sins to Him, and answered His call to be His follower, then you’re a new person. God has done a new spiritual work in your life. In fact, the Bible calls you a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that you need to change a few things in your life. You might not realize it, but your life before Jesus had patterns. You used to do and say things every day that were a reflection of your old life. There were places you went and people you hung out with. All those things added up to be the patterns of your life.

It’s time to create some new patterns that reflect the new work that God has done—and is continuing to do—in your life.

What patterns will be different in your life now? Have you thought about it?

“Begin to change the way you talk, look, act, and live to be more like Jesus.” Jeff Baxter, Youth Pastor and Author

If you’re worried about changing, think of it like climbing the first hill of a roller coaster. That feeling in your stomach seems like fear, but really it’s exhilaration for the ride ahead. You might feel unsure and overwhelmed, but the good news is that no one, including God, is expecting you to completely change all at once.

You’re at the beginning. Take one thing at time. As you go, you’ll want more of your life to please Jesus and more of your words and actions to reflect Him to everyone around you.

MY STORY ›› I GAVE UP SOmE FRIENDS“I grew up in a Christian family, but I never really understood what God wanted me to do, or never really understood God Himself. The year between my 8th and 9th grade year, my life was falling apart. I was hanging out with the wrong kids, and simply put, I wasn’t doing the right stuff. Since both my sisters had been on a mission trip, I decided that I wanted to go too. I went to Botswana, Africa, which was pretty cool. It was completely different from America. It just made me totally look differently at my life and see how privileged I was. Just seeing what God can do in the life of others changed me. When I got home I made changes. I had to give up a lot of my friends. I feel like everything’s okay now.” Jesse, student

CHAPTER ONE ›› MAKING SOME CHANGES

WHY bE DISCIPLINED?Discipline: what a terrible-sounding word. You might think of parents grounding you and teachers giving you detention. You might think of homework and grades or running laps at practice.

But try looking at the word a different way: disciple. The word disciple isn’t used a lot outside of Christianity and may not mean anything to you, but it will. It describes you.

You may know that when Jesus was on earth he had students called “disciples.” They were called this because they were with Jesus every day, learning about Him and His teachings. As Jesus’ follower you are also His disciple. You’re a student who practices discipline by being with Jesus daily, learning all you can about Him.

“The crux of every new Christian’s life is to ‘find out what pleases the Lord,’” (Ephesians 5:10). Dwight Robertson, KBM President and Speaker

A disciplined spiritual life allows you to become more and more like Jesus.

WHAT AbOUT FAILING?“No matter where you are in the walk, you are going to mess up.” Parker, student

Do you think of yourself as a good student? If not, that’s okay. God is most interested in your motives for learning. Trying to look and be perfect are not good motives. When it comes to Christianity, trying to please Jesus and love him more deeply are the only motives worth having.

Along the way you’ll experience some failure. It’s inevitable. No one wants to fail, but being human means you will. Do you remember what it was like to learn a skill like basketball, guitar, or algebra? What happened as you learned? You messed up. A lot.

You didn’t do everything perfectly.

What is more important than perfection? Persistence. Practice. Getting back up. Giving yourself some space to keep trying, even after failing. It’s the same in your life as a Christian.

“Sometimes I do feel like I’ve failed. I don’t think about what I’m doing, and I sin a bunch in one day. I think, ‘Oh my gosh, this is bad. I can’t believe I did that.’ But I pray about it and know that God will forgive me.” Kelly, student



Think about it, Jesus understands what it’s like to be human. He was here. He knows learning takes serious effort--and includes failure. He knows that

friends will pressure you and hurt you. He knows what you face and how hard it is to stand up under it all.

If you could see Jesus’ face, you’d see it’s glowing with pride that you’re seeking Him. Falling down in your walk with Him may happen, but the worst thing you can do is quit, or let your failure hurt your relationship with God.

Just go back to God, confess your shortcomings, and ask for forgiveness and guidance.

He’s waiting for you.


MY STORY ›› A mISSED OPPORTUNITY“In one church where I served as youth pastor, there was a young man in our youth group with awesome leadership ability. He was smart, he loved Christ with all his heart, and the students liked him. Coming in to his senior year, I was so excited about how God was going to use him in our youth ministry. During the fall, he started to date a girl from his school. Soon they became “tight.” She was a Christian, but all of a sudden, this young man wasn’t around church like he used to be. He became totally consumed with his girlfriend. Our summer camp was always a popular event with our students and this young man just hap-pened to sign up. On the last night of camp, we were having a great time in the Lord. Students were responding publicly to what God was doing in their hearts. I saw this young man coming forward to speak to me. The tears were flowing down his face as he grabbed me and put a bear hug on me. When he pulled himself together enough to speak, he looked me right in the eyes and said, “I blew it didn’t I?” referring to his lack of leadership and presence at youth group. I looked back at him and responded, “Yeah you did.” The time of ministry during his senior year could never be regained, but we talked about how he could redeem the time now. It was so tragic how he had been deceived during that year. His potential was limitless.” Foster Christy, KBM Speaker


TIPS FOR FIRST STEPSYou’ve begun a faith journey. Now what?

· If you find yourself feeling lonely, remember that you now belong to the family of God. Look for Christians to get together with. Try a Bible-teaching church with a youth group. Look to see if there are ministries for students in your community like Youth for Christ, Young Life, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Campus Crusade, or a Bible-Study group meeting at school. Go bravely. You’ll be welcomed. Also remember that Jesus said, “I will be with you always” (Matthew 28:20). Ask Him to bring you Christian friends.

· Change your schedule. Find time in the day to talk with God and read your Bible. If that’s new for you, read the chapters for prayer and Bible reading in this book. Put sincere effort toward connecting with God.

· Change where you hang out. Location can be everything in finding people who will both help and hinder to your faith.

· make things right. Do you need to heal a broken relationship, forgive someone, or ask for forgiveness? This includes your family.

· Serve around the house. Jesus is all about serving. Offer to take out the trash or do the dishes. Clean your room. You’ll show your family the love of Jesus, and you’ll prove you’re serious about your faith.

· Stop taking your parents for granted. Say thank you. When they say no to something, try saying “okay.”

· Rearrange your room like you’re rearranging your heart and life. Think of it as a sacred space where you can meet God. Put up reminders and scripture verses on the walls. Take down anything that would not please God.

· Join the cause immediately. Find a ministry that suits your personality. Volun-teer somewhere. Find a way to help someone out. Start thinking more about what others need.

· Fill your mind with God. Read Christian books, magazines, or devotionals. Attend Christian events. Download a Christian speaker’s podcast. Listen to Christian music.

· make a list of things that are holding you back spiritually. Ask God what to do about them, and take action.

· Decide which friendships you should keep and which you shouldn’t. You can influence some friends to accept Christ, but some will just bring you down. Ask God to help you judge who to spend time with. “Bad company corrupts good character,” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

· Look to God. Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. You’re running your own race now, not the dead-end race everyone else is in.




START HERE ›› APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED!Decide: Choose two or three tips to work on in the next couple of weeks. Circle them in your book. Write them out and post them in a place you will see daily (like the bathroom mirror). Tell someone your plans, and ask them to call you in two weeks to see how you’re doing. The people at Kingdom Building Ministries would love to pray for you. You can email your decisions to [email protected].

Journal: Where do you feel strong in your new faith? Where do you feel weak? What questions do you have about Christianity? Ask your youth pastor or someone you know who walks with God to help you find the answers.

Study: Look up these verses on getting started:

› Proverbs 3:21-26 › Romans 12:2 › 1 Corinthians 15:33 › Galatians 1:10

› Ephesians 4:22-24 › Hebrews 10:22-23 › 1 Peter 4:4-5 › 1 John 2:15-17

Journal about what you learned from these verses.

Go to God: Talk to God about what you’ve learned from this chapter. Pray your own prayer or try this one: I’m facing some changes as I learn to follow You. I know the changes might be hard, and I need You to help me. Will You help me? I need Your strength and guidance. Remind me to come straight to You when I fail. Thank You for accepting me no matter what. Amen.


NOW WHAT? ›› PRACTICAL TIPS FOR YOUR FAITH JOURNEY 13 NOW WHAT? ›› PRACTICAL TIPS FOR YOUR FAITH JOURNEY 13

CHAPTER 2READING THE bIbLE


CHAPTER TWO ›› READING THE BIBLE

The Bible lays the foundation of your faith. It tells one story over thousands of years—the story of God and his love for each and every person.

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you,” (Psalm 119:9-11).

“Find a Bible and start reading the gospels which are in the New Testament. They will help you understand what Christ did for you, what His life looked like, and why He is so important.” Lauren, student

WHAT’S THE bIG DEAL AbOUT THE bIbLE?Reading the Bible is an important part of the Christian life. It’s a map on your journey. It’s your spiritual food, and the light for your path. You can’t get around your need for the Bible.

If you’re passionately committed to loving God, you’re going to love reading and learning from the Bible (also called God’s Word or the scriptures.) Christians believe that the Bible is full of God’s words given directly to us. They’re living words that are miraculously relevant for your everyday life. They’ll comfort and help you.

THEY’RE A LOVE LETTER STRAIGHT FROm GOD TO YOU.“When I don’t read my Bible and pray, I feel like I get lost in what I want. I guess I tend to forget that God has my best interest at heart.” Matt, student

mY STORY ›› A LOVE LETTER“When I was in college, I played football. We practiced hard twice a day during the summer break. We weren’t very meticulous about our grooming because there weren’t many girls around. We were smelly, hot, and miserable. My girlfriend, who is now my wife, wrote me love letters every week. My teammates knew which days I would get a love letter from Lisa. On those days they tried to beat me to the mailboxes and steal the letter before I could get it, just to torture me. One day when they got the letter before me, I tackled the whole group of football players and ripped it out of their hands. I tore it open and read every word right in front of them. I was so excited reading words from my girlfriend. It was the best feeling to read how much she thought about me, appreciated me, and prayed for me. The Bible is God’s love letter to you. Like a love letter, you wouldn’t put it on a shelf and forget about it. You would be desperate to read those words lovingly written just for you.” Adrian Despres, KBM Speaker



GETTING TO KNOW GOD“In the Scriptures we learn to love what God loves, hate what God hates, how God has worked in the lives of others, and how He wants to work in our lives.” Johnny Vermilya, KBM Speaker

Reading the Bible is how you get to know God. How else would you know that God loves you and forgives you?

How would you know what life is really about?

From the Bible you learn that God is your Creator who knows everything about you. You learn that He’s your Strength (Psalm 28:7), your Savior, (1 John 4:14) and your Friend (John 15:15).

In the Bible you learn that God is patiently waiting for you to turn to Him, but can’t wait forever. You learn that without personally accepting the forgiveness of Jesus, after death instead of heaven, you’d experience hell – a painful, eternal separation from God.

THE bIbLE IS POWERFULThe Bible isn’t just a nice book. It’s your powerful weapon against the tricks of God’s enemy Satan. Satan tries to tempt you, lie to you, and mislead you. He can’t take away your salvation, but he’ll try to hinder you and make you miserable. God gave us His Word to combat the enemy’s attacks.

mY STORY: mEmORIzING SCRIPTUREBefore Jesus began His ministry, He went to the desert and fasted for 40 days. A person can live on just water for only 45 to 46 days, so Jesus was starving and near death. Satan tempted Him to turn rocks into bread. Jesus used Scripture as a weapon saying, “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). I realized that if Jesus used words from the Bible to fight Satan back then we should use God’s Word to fight him too. In fact, Hebrews 4:12 says “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” So, it’s like God gave us His Word to use like a machine gun, so that we can fight Satan! That is why I memorize scripture. I have a few friends who listen to my memory verses, and for every word I miss I owe them 25 cents. It’s how I remem-ber to take it seriously. I don’t want to pay them anything! Jesus example in the desert is a reminder to me that I need the Word to survive as much as I need food. Adrian Despres, KBM Speaker


TRANSFORmED bY TRUTH“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” (Romans 12:2).

“If your Bible is worn out, your life probably isn’t.” Adrian Despres, KBM Speaker

Like an old car that’s been restored to its original condition, God’s words have the power to restore your life. As you saw in the verse above, God wants to renew your mind—to get rid of the old and replace it with the new, better things He has for you.

The scriptures of the Bible keep you from being negatively affected by the world. The Bible reprograms all kinds of beliefs you’ve gotten from the world – that you aren’t worth anything, or that life is all about feeling good.

You are worth everything to God. He has so much more for you than a life of serving yourself.

Without reading the Bible, God’s messages can’t get to you, and you’re completely open to the lies of the enemy.

You need to dig into your Bible! You’ll want to!

TIPS FOR STUDYING SCRIPTUREHow: · make a decision about when you’ll read your bible and then be faithful to

that time. Treat it like an agreement to meet a friend. That’s what it is. Many people use time when they first wake up to meet with God. If you have trouble focusing in the morning, make time for God at the end of your day.

· Use all your senses. Imagine as you read. Think about how things might have looked and felt to the people in the stories. Picture what might have happened between the lines.

· Write things down. What God teaches you is too valuable a treasure not to be recorded. You’ll forget much of what you don’t write down. Make it a new habit to always have a notebook open and a pen handy when studying scrip-ture. If you want help organizing your thoughts, buy a Spiritual Life Notebook that can be ordered on our website: www.kbm.org.

· Learn about the bible’s whole story from the Israelites in the Old Testament to Jesus’ life in the New Testament and His followers called the “church.”

· Start your bible reading with a prayer. One example is a paraphrased prayer from Luke 24:45: Open my mind so that I will understand the scriptures.


· Write in the margins of your bible. It’s not a religious relic – it’s a tool. Put stars next to verses that speak to you, put question marks where you don’t understand, write an “M” next to a verse you want to memorize.

· buy an easy translation to read. Try a Student Bible, Today’s New Interna-tional Version or the New Living Translation. For a paraphrased version, try The Message.

· Go shopping. You can find all kinds of good Bible-study materials at a Christian bookstore. For ideas, look in the appendix of this book. You can always go deeper in your knowledge. The Bible’s story can be understood by anyone, but also has so much depth that life-long students could never learn it all.

· Share what you’ve learned with other Christians. Saying out loud what you are learning helps you remember it, and might help someone else.

· Take your bible to school or work. Read it when you have spare time.

· make a list of questions you have about the bible. Ask a pastor or experi-enced Christian to help you find the answers.

DIFFERENT WAYS TO READ THE bIbLE: · Choose less to study rather than more. If there are verses that speak to you,

camp out on them and don’t worry about reading the whole chapter. Read slowly and meditate on one or two verses. Remember, you read your Bible to get to know God and be changed by Him, not just to finish it.

· Try reading a book straight through in one or two sittings. This helps you gain the main idea of a book. Underline what jumps out to you, then study and meditate on those few verses throughout the week.

· Read systematically. Choose a reading plan and stick to it. You’ll find a sample reading plan at the end of this chapter.

mORE IDEAS: · Dig for treasure. Choose a theme like “prayer,” and search for it all through

the Bible using a concordance or online search tool. (www.crosswalk.com or www.biblegateway.com).

“I write themes in the front of my Bible and draw symbols to represent each one. Then, when I see themes as I am reading (like God’s love, or forgiveness) I draw the same symbol next to that verse. Every time I am into reading like that, it is like an adventure, like looking for hidden treasure.” Caleb Bislow, KBM speaker

· Insert your own name where it can apply. (For example, “You then, [Amy], be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1).) It will make God’s Word come alive for you.




mEmORIzING VERSES: · Underline verses to memorize as you read. Storing Biblical truths in your

memory is a powerful way to battle daily obstacles. Make a list of verses and memorize one each week. You’ll have memorized 52 in a year!

· Use spare time to memorize verses. When you’re standing in line or waiting for someone, repeat your memory verses to yourself.

· Find a friend to study with you. Make it a game. Charge each other a quar-ter for each forgotten word.

· Share a newly memorized verse with three other people. Tell your verse to each person, explaining why you memorized it. After three times, the verse will definitely sink in deeper.

We suggest this order for reading through the New Testament for the first time:

› Mark › Acts › James › Ephesians › Luke › Galatians › Colossians › John › 1 Timothy

› 2 Timothy › Matthew › Titus › Philemon › 1 John › 2 John › 3 John › 1 Peter › 2 Peter

› Romans › 1 Thessalonians › 2 Thessalonians › Jude › Hebrews › Philippians › 1 Corinthians › 2 Corinthians › Revelation

START HERE ›› APPLY WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED!Decide: Choose two or three tips to work on in the next couple of weeks. Circle them in your book. Write them out and post them in a place you will see daily (bathroom mirror). Tell someone your plans, and ask him or her to call you in two weeks to see how you’re doing. The people at Kingdom Building Ministries would love to pray for you. You can email your decisions to [email protected].

Journal: Read chapter one from the book of Mark. What verses stand out to you? What lessons can you find and apply to your own life? Make a list of questions you have about the book of Mark. Search for answers online or ask a pastor or Christian friend.




Study: Read some verses about the Bible:

› Psalm 19:7-11 › Psalm 119:9-11 › Psalm 119:105 › Proverbs 2:1-5 › Jeremiah 15:16 › Matthew 4:1-11 › Matthew 7:24-27 › Hebrews 4:12


Go to God: Talk to God about what you’ve learned. Pray your own prayer or pray this one: Dad, I have so much to learn about the Bible and I feel over-whelmed. Guide me each time I sit down to read Your words. Speak to me through what I read. Let me see ways You want me to live, and let me see more of You. I want to know all about You. I love You. Amen.



CHAPTER 3PRAYING


WHY PRAY?“I get so busy, sometimes even with ministry. I get so busy serving God, I forget God. I forget that God is the most important thing--there is nothing I could spend my time on that would be more important.” Amy, student

Imagine this scene: An orange haze is on the horizon. Birds are beginning to sing. The rest of Jesus’ household is still asleep as He steps into his sandals and heads out the door. The grass along the path is still wet with dew as Jesus walks toward a favorite place where he meets with God. He sits down on a familiar rock and begins to talk with His Heavenly Father.

Multiple times throughout the Bible, we are told that Jesus went off alone to pray. You might ask, “Why should I pray if God already knows everything I am think-ing?” If you don’t need to pray, then why did the Son of God need to?

Maybe Jesus was not just telling God things, but listening for God’s voice.

Maybe Jesus was being our example.

“When I began following Jesus, I sometimes struggled with what it looked like to talk to God. It felt a little awkward at times and there were questions of ‘Is He even listening?’ and ‘Am I saying the wrong things?’ As my journey with Jesus has continued, I have come to understand that Jesus simply wants me to share my heart with Him. And not only does He want to hear from me, but He also wants to speak to me. Praying isn’t about saying the right words. It’s about pursuing Jesus and growing my relationship with Him.” Rachel, student

James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” Being near to God is the only way to understand more about God and what He wants for your life.

Nearness to God is something you must fight for and protect! If you do, the benefits will be well worth it.

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him,” (1 John 5:14-15).

“Prayer is spiritual warfare. When two forces are at war, generally the first target of attack is the opponent’s communication system. The primary goal is to keep the front lines from receiving their commander’s instructions. This puts the soldiers into confusion. That’s what Satan wants to do to you by robbing you of a prayer life.” Adrian Despres, KBM Speaker

CHAPTER THREE ›› PRAYING

PRAYER IS AN HONOR“It feels good to pray, because you know that He’s listening always. You know He’s never going to forget about you. You know that those prayers will be answered in a good way, or maybe not in the way you want them to be, but it will turn out okay.” Brian, student

The Lord confides in those who respect Him and treat Him as He deserves—that’s a promise. The enormous unimaginable Creator God is willing to confide in you. What an honor!

He’s waiting for you to come to Him and talk with Him. Usually a master hands out a list of rules and consequences, but God hands you an adoption certifi-cate—an invitation into His confidence.

He promises to respond to your prayers. He says that He is a Good Father giving good gifts to you, His child. He says that when you call, He’ll answer. Be advised that the answer may be “Yes,” “No,” “Not now,” or “I have a better idea,” but the answer will be the most perfect one even if by all appearances it looks wrong.

mY STORY: A REAL PRAYER“One of the most beautiful prayers I have ever heard came from a young lady at a conference who wanted to give her life to Christ. She said, ‘Is it all right if I pray right now?’ I told her of course it was and she could just pray out loud and I’d listen and agree with her in prayer. She said, ‘Out loud? I’ve never prayed out loud before.’ I said, ‘It’s just talking. There’s no difference in talking to me and talking to God. You don’t have to use special words like Thou and Thee. You can say whatever comes to your mind.’ She looked a little doubtful but started to pray. She said, ‘Um, God?’ Then she looked at me and asked, ‘Is it okay if I call Him that?’ I said, ‘Sure, it’s His name, or one of them anyway.’ She continued as she pointed over at me, ‘God, this guy is right. I am pretty much a jerk and I’m sorry.’ Her eyes started filling with tears. ‘I’m just so sorry. Um, will you forgive me, even though I’m a jerk?’ Then I saw a smile come on her face and she said, ‘Hey, thanks. I feel that love. I want you in me. I don’t really know what that means, but I want you in me. Thanks God! Well, see ya, bye.’ That was her entire prayer. It was the best prayer that I have ever heard because it was so real and from so deep in her heart.” Adrian Despres, KBM Speaker

PRAYER IS bEING REAL“When I pray to God, I just want to spill out my heart. It’s so easy to be real with God. He won’t judge you and put a label on you. He’s just there to listen, and He responds.” Kris, student




Praying to God is not a matter of following rules. It’s being real, and listening for what God has to say.In prayer, you can praise God for all that He is, confess all of your sins, thank Him for all that He does, and ask Him for all that you need. You can pray for the needs of the people in your life. No one knows the needs of your friends and family like you do. Be serious about praying for them.There are people around you that no one might ever pray for. Take a moment today and ask God to work in someone’s life.There may be times in your life when you’re completely overwhelmed, seeing all of the negative around you and feeling like there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s not true. Prayer is invading the impossible—calling on the power of God. Why don’t you run to your Heavenly Father for help?

mY STORY: DAD TO THE RESCUE “When I was growing up in Ohio, my brothers and I were playing a game of kick-ball at the end of the street. The ball rolled out into the road in front of a car full of high school students. They screeched the car to a stop. My older brothers, who were in middle school, went out to get the ball. These rough looking high school boys got out, and one of them picked up our ball and held it under his arm. My brother asked for the ball back and they said, ‘Come and get it little kids.’ My brothers tried to grab the ball from them. Suddenly, I saw one guy take his fist and bash my brother right in the face. This started a brawl in the street. The high school students were bouncing the middle school boys off the concrete. It was an awful scene. I had no idea what to do. Then suddenly a thought hit me. I turned around and started running back up the street towards our house. I burst in the door yelling, ‘Dad! Dad! There are some big boys beating up Tom and Joe.’ My dad is a big guy, 6’4”, and a tremendous athlete. I’ll never forget the picture of my dad running through the house and out the door so fast that the hinges separated from the doorframe a little. He jumped over the hedges and ran down the street as fast as he could. I followed behind him. As I got closer I saw him grab the guy who was on top of my brother Tom and throw him in the air onto a grass bank. The older boys saw my dad and ran to their car. They sped away as they shook their fists out the window and yelled at my dad. When I got there I saw him looking around making sure everyone was okay. Suddenly, to me, my dad seemed to be the size of a mountain. He instantly became my hero. I was so proud--I was bragging about my dad to everyone who breathed.” Adrian Despres, KBM Speaker


TIPS FOR PRAYERPrepare your heart:

· God is holy. It’s no small thing to come before the Lord. God is perfect and there is none like Him. That same God wants to have an intimate relationship with you.

· believe God can do anything. If you sense unbelief in your heart, pray the prayer of a man in Mark 9:24, “I do believe: help me overcome my unbelief!”

· Ask God to forgive un-confessed sin. Psalm 66:18-20 says, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!”

· Ask yourself if you need to forgive someone. Mark 11:25 says, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your sins.”

· Praise and thank the Lord for all His wonderful characteristics. Try praying through the Psalms. Psalm 145 a good example that’s full of God’s amazing qualities.

· Think about your requests. Do they check out with what you think God would want?

bE REAL: · Remember God is right there with you, not 1000 miles away. In the book

of Matthew Jesus said, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” (Matthew 28:20b).

· Talk to Jesus like He’s a friend, with normal everyday words, and with your real thoughts and emotions. It’s okay to pause and think about what you want to say next.

· Pray for real issues in your life and in the lives of others.




A TImE AND PLACE: · Find a “God spot” where you can go to daily and be alone. Put up scripture,

prayer requests, pictures of people you pray for, have a pen, journal and Bible there.

· Think about your posture. Try walking and praying. Try kneeling to show you’re submitted to God. Try laying on your face to signify you’re desperate for Him. Reach out your hands, palms up, showing your openness to God’s will.

· “Pray without ceasing,” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, KJV). Praise God while you’re driving. Thank God for little things as you see them. Pray silently for people you’re with.

mORE IDEAS: · Get creative. In what ways can you uniquely communicate with God? Try

writing, drawing, singing, dancing, or whatever comes from your personal talents and your unique soul.

· Start a prayer notebook. Use lists to guide you. Come up with categories for each area of your life--family, friends, school, work, church, etc. Make a section for each day of the week, and assign one area to each day. If you need help in creating a prayer notebook, go to www.kbm.org and purchase a Spiritual Life Notebook.

· Team up with a friend. Identify friends who don’t know Jesus. Pray for them together. Ask God to show you ways to share your faith with your lost friends.

· make a “distracting thoughts” list. As stray thoughts interrupt your prayers (I forgot to do some homework, I need to call someone, I am out of shampoo) write them on a list and go back to praying.

· Record answers to prayer. Write the date and the way your prayer was answered. This practice will increase your faith and your faithfulness to pray. You’ll see what God has done and want to see Him do more.

· Pray specifically. Tell God exactly what you need or want. You will see Him working much more clearly.

· Pray scripture. For example, if you want to pray for a friend in need, you could pray Psalm 145:16, “You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.”


· Create reminders to pray during the day. Pray when you hear a siren or the school bell. Put a dot on your watch and pray when you see it. Make a note on your on your assignment book, or the inside of your shoe or hat.

· Do a prayer walk with some friends. Walk around your school or your community and pray for the people who live and work there.

· Have communion alone. Get some bread and grape juice, and read about the Last Supper in Matthew Chapter 26. Meditate on what Jesus did for you on the cross as you take and eat the bread and juice. Doing this may bring even more significance to participating in communion at your church.

· Listen. God wants to talk to you. Be sure to spend time listening to the things He is saying to you. As the Holy Spirit reveals things to you and directs you in certain areas, follow in obedience the direction He is leading you. For bigger decisions you may feel uncertain of, ask for the advice of another Christian you trust

· make a prayer photo album. Put a loved one’s picture on each page and pray for one person each day.

· make a hit list. Choose ten people in your life who you want to see come to Christ. Pray for these people and ask God for opportunities talk to them about your relationship with Jesus.

· Read what other people have prayed. Buy a book of written prayers like The Rhythm of Prayer, by Mark Moore. Read through an old hymnal or book of praise choruses for inspiration.

START HERE ›› APPLY WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED!Decide: Choose two or three tips to work on in the next couple of weeks. Circle them in your book. Write them out and post them in a place you will see daily (bathroom mirror). Tell someone your plans, and ask him or her to call you in two weeks to see how you’re doing.

Journal: What do you think about prayer? What new ideas did you gain from this chapter? What can you add to your prayer habits? Write down five emotions God might have if you talked to Him more frequently.




Study: Read some verses about prayer


› Matthew 5:44 › Matthew 18:19-20 › Luke 11:11-13 › John 14:14

› Philippians 4:6-7 › 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 › Hebrews 4:16 › 1 Peter 3:12


Go to God: Talk to God about your new decisions about prayer. Use this prayer or pray your own: Jesus, I see that You want to be close to me and talk with me often. I want that too. Help me find discipline and joy in talking with You. Help me to know Your voice. Remind me that You’re with me always. Help me believe that You can do anything, and help me be patient when Your answers come slowly or in a way I don’t want or understand. Thank You for listening to me. Amen.


CHAPTER 4WORSHIPPING GOD


“Worship is expressing your enjoyment of God.” Dwight Robertson, KBM President and Speaker

“It’s amazing to me that people from all different backgrounds all over the world worship the same God. Worshipping with others reveals different aspects of God that I’ve never seen before.” Amy, student

WORSHIP mEANS PRAISING GODBeing told that you’re smart, funny, patient, or friendly feels great, doesn’t it? Praise is something humans crave.

We feel needed, wanted, and loved.

This how we can think of worshipping God. Worshipping God is communicating with Him, like in prayer, but prayer that is totally focused on God and what He means in your life.

God doesn’t need our praise, but He likes it.

Worship is not just singing at church. It can happen anytime your thoughts are on all the great things you love about God.

“Worship is when we focus our minds on how great God is.” Adrian Despres, KBM Speaker

WORSHIP REmINDS YOU WHO GOD ISIt’s so easy to forget who God really is. He is big – He has “measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,” and “stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth,” (Psalm 113:6). He knows you – He has numbered every hair on your head (Matthew 10:30). He is the Creator and Lord over everything – “He determines the number of stars and calls them each by name” (Psalm 147:4). “Every animal of the forest” is His (Psalm 50:10).

Daily life is so routine that the reality of God can fade into the background. Worship is God’s desire for us, not because He needs it, but because we need it.

“Look at Psalm 150 verse 6, ‘Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.’ The only way you can get out of praising God is to hold your breath.” Dwight Robertson, KBM President and Speaker

Hebrews 12:28 cautions you to worship God in awe. What does that mean? Have you ever watched a three or four year old child see something for the first time? Even the simplest things amaze and delight them. They celebrate every-thing like we should celebrate God.

CHAPTER FOUR ›› WORSHIPPING GOD

Worshipping God means putting yourself aside and focusing on Him. It’s realizing that you need God. It’s not going before a King, begging for mercy. You have His mercy.

Worship is a celebration of God who sustains your life.

“When I worship God I feel like God is there with me.” Drew, student

WORSHIP IS A WAY TO SHOW GOD YOUR LOVE FOR HImGod’s desire is for us to turn to Him. He wants more than anything to be in a love relationship with you. In worship, you show your desire to seek Him and love Him.

Don’t you want to spend more time with those you love? Don’t you feel happy and content when you are with them? It’s the same with God.

“To me, worship is a time for me to get away from the world and get with God.” Tyler, student

WORSHIP IS A WAY OF LIFE“Worship is not just a time during a church service, it’s how you live your life. How you study, interact with friends, date, do chores, and play on the sports field can all be worship if you are praising God at the same time.” John Vermilya, KBM Speaker

Everything is not worship. Putting on your socks isn’t worship, but you can worship while you put on your socks. Worship is about communicating your admiration of God, which can be shown by the position of your body. In the Bible, people worshipping God would often kneel or lay flat on their faces before Him.

You can worship without kneeling, but while you worship, you need to ask yourself if your spirit is bowing before God.

God does not want to hear empty words. He wants to hear the real emotions that you have about Him. He wants you to worship who He really is. He knows that worship is most of all a blessing to us.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship.” (Romans 12:1, TNIV).




TIPS FOR WORSHIPPING GOD · Escape from the world. Jesus invites you to “Come with me by yourselves to a

quiet place and get some rest,” (Mark 6:31b).

· Try kneeling or laying down in prayer. Look up some verses about people in the Bible who praised God this way.

· memorize worshipful scripture. Start with Psalm 95:6, “Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” Some others to memorize: Romans 12:1, Hebrews 12:28, John 4:23.

· Learn the different names of God. Knowing God’s names will help you know Him better, and worship who He truly is. Some examples of God’s names are:

› God of the Beginning: Deuteronomy 33:27. › God of Justice: Isaiah 30:18. › God of Forgiveness: Nehemiah 9:17. › God who is Near: Jeremiah 23:23. › God of my Salvation: Psalm 18:47, 25:5. (www.allaboutgod.com).

· Enter worship times purposefully. Take a deep breath. Say the Lord’s Prayer or a verse you have memorized. Ask God to show Himself to you more fully.

· Get alone. When you’re alone you can really be free with God. Sing loud if you won’t with others. Express yourself. Dance. Make a fool of yourself like someone in love. No one will know but God. He’d love to see how crazy you are about Him.

· Get quiet. Try the advice from the prophet Zephaniah, “Be silent before the sovereign Lord,” (Zephaniah 1:7). Let God tell you who He is.

· be creative with your worship. Make a drawing, painting, poem, or letter to God about why you love Him and what He means to you.

· Head out into nature and tell God what reminds you of Him (the sunset reminds you of His beauty, the wind reminds you of His spirit, the stars remind you that He knows each one by name, etc.).

· Keep a small rock where you will notice it. Let it remind you that if you keep quiet “the stones will cry out” (Luke 19:40). Don’t be out-praised by rocks!

› Ezra 10:1 › Nehemiah 8:6

› Job 1:20 › Matthew 2:11

› Matthew 8:2 › Mark 1:40.


· make cards that have “7X” written on them. “Seven times a day I praise you,” (Psalm 119:164a). Put them all over the place. Every time you see one stop and praise God.

· Check out Christian music. There is a lot of worshipful music in all different styles. Listen to it when you need to remember God.

WORSHIPPING WITH THE CHURCH: · Get focused. Whenever your mind wanders, lead it back with a thought

about what aspect of God means the most to you right then.

· Look for the good. If your church service isn’t aimed at your age group, you can still look for good things underneath it all. Find one line of a song that speaks to you and meditate on it. Take notes of the sermon and try hard to learn one thing. Sit in front because you love Jesus and don’t want to miss anything they say about Him.

· Pray your own prayers. As people are praying throughout the service, be listening to the prayers. As God lays things on your heart, pray to Him about those things.

· Go a few minutes early to church and prepare yourself to connect with God. It would honor Him and ready your spirit to meet with Him.


Journal: What does worship mean to you? How will you include more worship in your life? What might it do for you? Worship God now by writing down all the things you love about Him.

Study: Read some verses about worship:

› Nehemiah 8:5-6 › Psalm 95:6, › Psalm 119:164, › Psalm 150,

› Luke 19:40, › John 4:23-24, › Romans 12:1, › Hebrews 12:28.


Go to God: Pray about your new decisions to worship. Use this prayer or pray your own: Father, You’re so easy to praise because You’re so wonderful. Thank You for showing me who You are so I can worship You. I want to learn how to worship You with my words and my life. Show me how to praise You in the ways that will please You. Amen.





CHAPTER 5HANGING OUT WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS


“I am with you heart and soul.” (1 Samuel 14:7b).

mY STORY: I WISH I HAD DONE IT RIGHT THE FIRST TImE“The summer before my sophomore year of high school, I went to a youth camp where I made some significant spiritual decisions. The decisions felt so real and so deep that I could never imagine going back on them. I was naive. At the end of camp they told us to go back and find friends who could encourage us in our faith, but I didn’t. After camp I went right into football season. I thought I could go back into my old surroundings and be strong, but the football locker room is tough. For the first couple of days it was really good, then the next couple of weeks were all right, but within 30 days I had totally gone back on the com-mitments that I had made. I was back into a lifestyle that was not good at all. I felt so bad about making commitments to God, and then failing--that I went that whole year far from Him. The next summer I went to youth camp again. At a decision time, my counselor saw me sobbing. He came to me and asked why I was crying so hard. I said, “Because I can’t go up to the altar and make a commitment. Last summer I did that, and I failed God. I don’t want to go up and make a commitment and fail again.” He helped me understand that I had to get back up on the horse. He said there was a reason I had failed--I had gone right back into the same environment and didn’t surround myself with Christian friends. The first thing I did when I got home from camp was to find three or four friends who were very strong Christians. I found people who were strong in their faith to help me be strong in my faith. I was able to start growing and start gaining a momentum in my spiritual walk that stuck with me.” Mark Vermilion

SOmEONE TO FIGHT WITH YOUThe Israelite army didn’t have weapons for the 600 men who were ready for

battle. They were facing thousands and thousands of armed Philistines who were known for their strength in war. The odds against the Israelites were obviously terrible.

Jonathan, son of the King of Israel, had armor and a sword. He also had a companion, called an armor bearer, to stay with him in battle.

The two men left the army camp, intending to ambush a Philistine outpost alone. Jonathan trusted the Lord and believed He would use the two of them and would protect them. His armor-bearer agreed, saying “Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” They stepped in sight of the Philistines, sure that the Lord would give them victory. Together they overtook twenty armed men (story from 1 Samuel 14).

CHAPTER FIVE ›› HANGING OUT WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS

Like Jonathan, you are up against unfavorable odds. As a follower of Jesus, overcoming Satan, the world, and your own flesh will seem overwhelming to you.

At first, you may feel alone. But there is hope!

By becoming a child of God, you became a part of the Body of Christ. This family of believers is there to help you, guide you, and befriend you. Look for others who are passionately following Jesus and hang out with them.

“I used to go to this youth group. I got a lot out of it, and I grew closer to God. It helped to meet kids who were going through the same things I was going through.” Eric, student

PEOPLE INFLUENCE YOU “The more you spend time with someone the more you begin to talk and act like him or her. Who are you starting to act like?” Jeff Baxter, Youth Pastor and Author

“You live in an unbelieving world, and that’s why it’s so important to become con-nected to a church and to friends who share the same faith. It [your fire] will be extinguished fast if you don’t find that support.” Andy, student

You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep. Look around you. What kind of choices are your friends making? What consequences will they face, both good and bad? You’re like a chameleon, picking up patterns from your environment. What patterns are you picking up from the people around you?

Choose your friends carefully. Progress and growth in your spiritual life are closely related to your choice of friends. When you share your spiritual struggles with another Christian, they can sharpen and strengthen you, like iron sharpens iron.

“After I decided to follow Jesus I thought it was hard because a lot of my friends were non-believers, and they tried to push me down the wrong path. When I came to church it was easier. I got back into my faith, and now I have a lot of friends who are believers.” Lucy, student

As a Christian, you will deal with criticism from others.

Non-Christians will think it’s strange that you follow God instead of your personal desires. They’ll want you to follow them. You’ll have to walk away from their pressure, and it may not be easy.




Even some people in your church may not understand why you are so excited about following Jesus. You’ll have to continue to love them and remember that God may want to use you to remind them what it felt like when they first believed.

You are infinitely valuable to God. Just because someone is destroying his or her life with bad choices doesn’t mean you should. Work hard at surrounding yourself with people who love God and seek to live life for Him.

TIPS FOR FINDING CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP · bother others. You are no bother. Experienced Christians need you to approach

them for help, or they might think you don’t want help. Scripture says they should be willing to teach you. Approach them and ask if they’ll answer your questions.

· Find a mentor. Find a person older than you who has a deep relationship with God. Invite them to sit down with you for an hour. Tell them what’s been hard for you and ask for their advice. You could ask, “What helps you grow spiritually?” If it goes well, ask if they might like to meet again.

· Join a youth group that teaches the Bible, seeks to impact other teens for Christ, and is fun. Find a Christian at your school who has a youth group, and ask if you can go with them. Look for groups meeting at school or in the community.

· Start your own group. If you know a few Christians, who seem to be on the same journey of following Jesus you are, ask if they want to meet up for Bible study and prayer, or just to hang out. You may find that there are lots of other people who need to find Christian fellowship.

· Ask your pastor. He or she will know how you can get connected.

· be cautioned. Not everyone who says they’re a Christian follows Jesus. “A lot of people say that they’re Christians, but you can tell by the way they act that they really aren’t. People who can lift you up and not bring you down are the best.” Dara, student.

· Teach someone. As God teaches you, turn around and pass on what you’ve learned to someone else. Don’t be afraid to teach others. It will help you better understand what you are learning and it will bless them with something they did not know before.



Journal: Which friendships should you cultivate and which should you reconsider? Why? What worries you about finding Christian friends, or moving away from friends that bring you down? Who is a Christian in your life to whom you can go to for help and encouragement?

Study: Read some verses about Christian fellowship:

› 1 Samuel 14 › Psalm 1 › Proverbs 24:1 › Matthew 28:20

› Acts 2:42-47 › 2 Corinthians 6:14 › Hebrews 4:12-13.


Go to God: Talk to God about your decision to find fellowship. Use this prayer or pray your own: Dad, I’m thinking a lot about the friends that I have and the Christian fellowship I need. I wonder how hard it will be to find new friends. I’m worried about what people might think. Help me to understand what I need to do. Guide me to the friends I need. Thank You for being the closest friend I will ever have. Amen.





CHAPTER 6ObEYING GOD


“I think obedience means giving God the reins on your life.” Blake, student

mY STORY: SEEING POVERTY CHANGED mY CAREER GOALS“My senior year of high school I went on a mission trip. While I was there, I got a chance to work in orphanages and work with the kids, and that and changed me. On that trip I found my calling to be a social worker and help kids who are in abusive situations. Even though these people lived in dirt shacks, they still loved God. One woman said, “I may be poor but I am rich in Christ.” I have so much stuff at my house that I don’t appreciate at all and take for granted. I really learned to appreciate my family and the things around me.” Crystal, student

JESUS WAS ObEDIENT“Obedience, for me, means listening to God and obeying. There have been

times when I sensed that I was supposed to do something and I didn’t do it. That is the sin of omission, knowing what you ought to do and you don’t.” Caleb Bislow, KBM Speaker

“They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sor-row to the point of death,’ he said to them. ‘Stay here and keep watch.’

Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. ‘Abba, Father,’ he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will,’” (Mark 14:32-36).

Many people believe there wouldn’t have been a cross if Jesus hadn’t surrendered saying, “Not what I will, but what you will,” (Mark 14:36b). The word obedience has the word “die” in the middle. Jesus died to his own desire to escape death.

He gave up His own wishes and His own will for God’s.

Jesus was our model of total surrender to God.

CHAPTER SIX ›› OBEYING GOD

JESUS KNEW GOD THE FATHERWe serve a God who is three-in-one; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus was here on earth, both fully God and fully human. He knows what it’s like to listen for God’s voice, and to obey His commands. That’s how He lived His life. If anyone knew God the Father it was Jesus.

Do you know the Father? The test comes in the verse from 1 John 2:3, “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.”

Jesus knew that obedience is very important to God. It’s proof of our love for Him.

John 14:15 says, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” Do you obey God’s teachings?

JESUS ObEYED OUT OF LOVE“People do crazy things when they are in love. Think about it, Jesus died on the cross for your sins because he loves you. Isn’t this crazy?” Adrian Despres, KBM Speaker

There’s something odd about love, isn’t there? You’d do things for love that you wouldn’t do for any other reason. Why? People do crazy things when they are in love.

God feels loved when you obey Him. Not because He loves commanding you, but because He wants you to get the best out of life.

His commands are all given out of love for you and the people in this world.

ObEDIENCE ISN’T A bURDEN“God asks us to do things because it will fit into His bigger plan.” Alexandria, student

Think of obedience like this – imagine that you have someone hanging on your back with his arms around your neck. We’ll call him “Obedience.” As you walk around, the burden of his weight (the weight of Obedience) begins to strain your back, then your legs, until you want to crumple onto the floor.

This is the way we normally think of obedience. We think it’s a huge burden. But really, it’s the complete opposite.

Imagine this person letting go, then letting you hang on his back. Now, obedience carries you. That’s why God asks for obedience.

The commands He gives us don’t burden us, they carry us.




“The chore that was infamous in our family was taking out the garbage. I’m one of six children and taking out the garbage was quite an event. Our family produced a lot of garbage! However, I timed it once and it took just a minute and thirty-nine seconds. Yet, I had this huge weight on my back when I was commanded to take out the garbage. I’d walk around like I was going to die because for the next minute and thirty-nine seconds I would have work to do. It’s a matter of perspective. 1 John 5:3 says, ‘This is love for God: to obey His commands. And his commands are not burdensome.’” Adrian Despres, KBM Speaker

mY STORY: STUDENTS REACHING OUT TO OTHER STUDENTS“On the last day of youth camp (where I had spoken all week) some of the students met in a corner of the room and prayed something like this, ‘Lord we’re not sure what all this means but we want you to use us to impact our campus for Christ.’ A year later I was with this same group of students again at camp. They told me some amazing stories about how God had worked. They had formed teams and met each week to pray, have accountability, and encourage each other. Once a month they invited some of their lost friends to a party at one of their houses. They had food, loud Christian music and lots of fun. At the end of each party, one of the Christians would stand up and for about five or ten minutes and share how Jesus had changed his or her life. At one of the monthly meetings, they invited the parents of some of the lost students who had been saved. One man stood up and said, ‘I don’t know what you do here. All I know is I’ve got my son back.’ His son had been addicted to drugs and was destroying his life and his family, but Jesus totally changed him. The students continued to tell me that the nine months of school before to camp had been the most incredible months of their lives. They said it was like they’d never been saved up to that point. The freshness with God they experienced and the power of God they saw transforming lives of their lost friends was awesome! They also said that it was the hardest nine months they’d ever experienced. Some of their closest friends made fun of them and even said that their weekly meetings were a cult. They couldn’t believe the persecution they experienced but they said seeing God work was worth it all! Their whole school was impacted by their obedience to God.” Foster Christy, KBM Speaker


TIPS FOR ObEYING GOD · Practice obeying immediately. As you do, expect a lot of changes and falling

down. Just get back up and continue on.

· Start with the things that God shows you. Trust that God will lead you to see what His will is for your daily decisions. Seek His will in prayer, in the Bible, and from other believers.

· When you mess up confess quickly, repent, and obey Christ’s teachings.

· Get a yes pattern going in your life. Do what God asks instead of constantly fighting Him.

· Obedience is doing the right things, not just avoiding the wrong things. Make a list of what right things you need to add to your life (i.e. forgiving someone, asking for forgiveness, being kinder, more patient, etc.) Jesus said the two greatest things you could obey would be to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39) So, if you try to obey God in anything make sure it is in loving Him with everything you have and loving others.

· Look for God’s commands in the bible. For example, in Exodus 20 we have the Ten Commandments. In Matthew 3:2 Jesus commands us to repent. In John 3 Jesus says we must be born again. Matthew 28:18-20, we have Jesus command to make disciples.

· Look for characteristics God wants you to have. Look for them in other Christians. Look for them in the Scriptures. Try reading about the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Choose one area to pay attention to this week.

· Focus one prayer time on surrendering yourself to God. Ask Him to show you areas where you need to die to your own desires and accept His. “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Ask Him to replace those desires with His desires.

· make a list of 20 small things you can do this week to be more obedient to God. It might be thoughts you need to change, chores at home you can help with, or small ways you are not being honest or pure.





Journal: What does obeying God mean to you? Why is it important? How do you feel about it after reading this chapter?

Study: Read some verses on obedience › Deuteronomy 28 › 2 Chronicles 31:20-21 › Psalm 51:7-12 › Proverbs 22:4-5 › John 14:15 › Romans 5:19 › 2 Corinthians 9:13 › 1 John 5:3-4


Go to God: Pray about your decision to be obedient. Use this prayer or pray your own: Dad, I see that obeying You is showing You love. I understand now that obeying Your commands blesses me and is a sign that I’m really Yours. Change my attitudes about obedience, and help me to see ways that I can choose to follow You more closely. Amen.



CHAPTER 7SHARING YOUR FAITH


PROVE YOUR LOVEWhen you say, “I love God,” He’ll give you a chance to prove it.

The needs in this world are overwhelming. You can’t single-handedly teach the whole world about Christ, or completely solve hunger and poverty. But as you head forward into your Christian life, God will show you opportunities to share your faith.

You have neighbors who need Jesus, or just need a little company. You have children in your church who need a teacher. You have people in your area who need hot meals. There’s something out there that God is calling you to do.

Philemon 6 says, “I pray that you be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” Did you know that sharing the gospel with someone helps you get the most out of life in Christ?

“One summer I worked at a Christian camp. I found out that I’d have to present the gospel to the campers. At first I thought, ‘This is so exciting,’ but then I actually tried and it was really difficult. When I am nervous I stumble over my words and I shake, so I practiced a lot. I practiced on the other camp counselors, on my stuffed animals, on the trees behind my cabin. Now those trees are like a holy wood! It seemed to work, and one of the guys in my cabin decided to follow Jesus.” Sam, student

GOOD NEWS! JESUS HAS WON!In Biblical times during a war, the women and children waited at home for messengers to bring word from the battles. The army generals picked the fastest rider to send back information. Those at home would expectantly watch to see the rider coming in the distance.

If the rider called out “Euangelion!” (the Greek word for “good news”), the next word he called out would be “Nike!” which is the word for victory. If they had won the battle, the rider would call out, “Euangelion! Euangelion! Nike! Nike!” meaning “Good news! Good news! We won! We won!” Everyone would celebrate.

The Greek word “euangelion” is where we get the word evangelism. That’s evangelism – bringing the good news to people who are waiting for news. It’s telling them, “Good news! Jesus has won!” Your purpose in evangelism is to give your family, friends, and people you meet the good news about Jesus.

“A good thing to do in witnessing is to ask someone about their interests. Then you can ask them if they have a religion. It helps determine where they are standing right now in their faith. Then you can share your own religion. You are respecting their background, and telling them about yours.” Damien, student

CHAPTER SEVEN ›› SHARING YOUR FAITH

ETERNITY IS A LONG TImEThe core of evangelism is to help a person realize that their sins have hurt Christ and separated them from Him. Without Jesus’ forgiveness, they can’t be in the presence of God and must therefore spend eternity in hell. Eternity is a long time to be where you don’t want to be.

Hell wasn’t created for people. Matthew 25:41 says it was created for the “devil and his angels.” 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord…is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.”

Can you imagine having the cure for cancer and keeping it to yourself? That would be horrible. What about having the cure for hell? Sharing your faith with those around you offers them the eternal life with Jesus that you have.

“Ask the Lord to help you have the courage to share Christ with your lost friends.” Foster Christy, KBM Speaker

mY STORY: SEEING THEIR TEARS CHANGED mE“I can still remember seeing the dirt floor of the Maasai church (an African ethnic group) stained with tear drops. The worship leader was singing in celebration for all the Maasai that had come to know Christ. Then in an instant, she fell to her knees wailing in the middle of the church service. Seconds later the whole church was on its knees in desperate prayer. I had no idea what was going on. Why would a group of people filled with such joy fall to their knees in such sorrow? Later I asked my translator Simon why the worship leader was crying. He told me that she began to cry and pray because she realized that the harvest in this area was plentiful but the laborers were few. This woman’s tears have inspired me to attempt something for the Lord that is beyond myself.” Caleb Bislow, KBM Speaker

WITNESS WITH YOUR ACTIONS“I think I come across to my friends as being different. My faith comes across

through my actions. I think it’s one of the most important things. It’s not necessarily what you can say to people but what they can see in your life. That witnesses to them too.” Austin, student

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead,” (James 2:14-17).




Just as you can share the love of Christ by speaking to someone about Him, you can share Christ by serving others. It’s said that actions speak louder than words. Isn’t it true?

You can say all you want about Jesus, but if your actions don’t match your words, no one will believe you.

When you were small, your parents may have told you, “I love you.” How did you know what those words meant? By the things they did to show you their love. They cared for you, sacrificed for you, fed you, cleaned up after you, prepared for your future. Love became real because you could see it.

In the same way, Jesus becomes real to people when they see Him through your actions.

What can you do to show the love of Christ through your actions?

“Put simply, to be a follower of Jesus is to be a servant of others. Remember, following Jesus in service shows the world our love for God.” Jeff Baxter, Youth Pastor and Author

mY STORY: A DECISION TO GIVE HELPED AN AFRICAN FAmILY“I do that sponsor a child program. There’s this kid in Africa that me and four of my friends sponsor, and every month we pay a certain amount and it feeds him and his family. For Christmas, we gave him extra money and he said he bought a goat. He said it was his Christmas present for his family. Most people might think a goat for a present is really dumb. My brother laughed at me, and asked, “Why are you doing this?” I think it makes me feel good because I am helping people besides myself. God always tells us to be good, even though we can’t work our way to heaven. Helping someone else seems like what he wants us to do. It shows them what Christianity is, and shows them Christians help people.” Lucy, student (A goat can provide up to a gallon of milk per day. “That is more than enough to drink, to make cheese, butter or yogurt, and to sell what is left to buy much-needed clothes, school supplies, and medicine.” www.heifer.org)


TIPS FOR SHARING YOUR FAITHWith Words: · Find bravery. Go after what God has called you to do. Sometimes bravery

means being afraid and going anyway – with faith that God will be with you.

· Just be normal. People want to know what faith in Jesus is like for you personally.

· Put it in your own words. You don’t have to memorize anything or use Scriptures. Just tell them what happened to you and why you follow Jesus.

· Don’t worry if you might not say it right or that you won’t know the answers. If they ask a tough question, say you’ll get back to them and ask your pastor.

· Don’t be self-righteous. Never consider yourself better than anyone else.

· build your confidence. Write down a 3-minute explanation of how you’re different after accepting Christ, and practice saying it to a Christian friend. Memorize these verses:

› “Our competence comes from God,” (2 Corinthians 3:5b). › “The Lord will be your confidence,” (Proverbs 3:26). › “Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded,” (Hebrews 10:35).

· Research techniques for personal evangelism. Find resources in the appendix of this book.

With Actions:

· Don’t make a show. Serve quietly. God knows and sees the heart.

· Give 10% or more of your money away. Give to your church, sponsor a child with an organization like Compassion International (www.compassion.com), sponsor a missionary, or give to the local food bank. Invest in what lasts for eternity.

· Look at how you can help at church. There are always volunteers needed. Consider your gifts. What has God designed you to do? Can you teach? Clean? Organize? Decorate? Ask if your gifts can be of use. If nothing perfectly suiting you is open, fill a spot that needs filling.

· Serve in your community. Ask around about places that need volunteers. Sign up to help out on Saturdays or after school one day a month. Take some friends with you.

· Go on a mission trip with a youth group. There are all kinds of needs around the world where you can make a difference.

· be Jesus wherever you are. Talk to someone who looks lonely. Pick up trash. Smile at people. Listen. Show compassion. Go out of your way to help.





Journal: Write out your story of deciding to follow Jesus. What happened? How did it change your life? How do you feel about sharing your faith? Do you have a servant’s heart? Brainstorm some ways you can serve in your community.

Study: Read some scripture about sharing your faith:

› Deuteronomy 6:4-8 › Proverbs 3:27-28 › Isaiah 43:10-12 › 2 Corinthians 5:20 › 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 › 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 › James 1:27 › Revelation 22:12


Go to God: Pray about your new decisions to share your faith. Use this prayer or pray your own: Jesus, I want the world to know what it is like to be free and live for You. I want my family and friends to know Your amazing love. I want them to live in eternity with You. Help me speak up where I can and serve where I can. I want You to shine through me and be seen by everyone around me. Thank You for using me and giving me this purpose for my life. Amen.



APPENDIX


Below are books and websites that can help you as you continue to grow in your faith.

bOOKS:Everything Counts: Oswald Chambers’ Classic, My Utmost for His Highest, Adapted for Students by Steve L. Case, Rick Bundschuh, Oswald Chambers, Lois Penner

Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God by Henry T. Blackaby and Claude V. King

Icons of Evolution: Science or Myth? by Jonathan Wells

Let the Nations Be Glad!: The Supremacy of God in Missions by John F. Piper

Letters from a Skeptic: A Son Wrestles with His Father’s Questions about Christianity by Gregory A. Boyd, Edward K. Boyd, Edward K. Boyd

More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell

Practicing His Presence by Brother Lawrence, Frank C. Laubach, Gene Edwards (Editor)

Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? by Philip Yancey

Ruthless Trust: The Ragamuffin’s Path to God by Brennan Manning

The Mind of Christ: The Transforming Power of Thinking His Thoughts by T.W. Hunt

The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning

The Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions by Arthur G. Bennett

What’s So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey

WEbSITES:www.answersingenesis.org Answers in Genesis is an apologetics (i.e., Christianity-defending) ministry, dedicated to enabling Christians to defend their faith, and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ effectively

www.livingwaters.com This is a great for evangelism training--Living Waters Publications is an inter-denominational ministry whose purpose is to educate God’s people in the principles of Biblical evangelism

www.adriandespres.com

www.kbm.org

APPENDIX

A NOTE FROm THE WRITERS:Friend,

We’re so glad you’re seeking God and searching for ways to grow in your faith. These tips have helped us stay strong in our faith, and we want to pass them along to you. We hope they will help you keep a strong life-long relationship with Jesus.

We’d love to hear from you! Tell us how this book impacted your life, and how we can pray for you.

You can contact us through our website at www.kbm.org and let us know how things are going.

In Christ,

The Speakers and Staff of Kingdom Building Ministries

Look online for more information about our speakers and when they will be in your area. Find resources for spiritual growth including books, CD’s, and DVD’s. Email a speaker about the impact they had on your life. Ask the Kingdom Building Ministries staff for prayer.

Email: [email protected]: www.kbm.org14485 E Evans AveAurora, CO 80014Toll Free: (800) 873-8957Phone: (303) 745-8191


APPENDIX

Inside this book are powerful tips from Kingdom Building Ministries speakers who travel the country and world sharing the life changing power of Jesus.

They want your relationship with Jesus to stay strong. In Now What? you’ll find that they share practical ways to stay close to your Savior.

Now What? Practical Tips For Your Faith Journey is a publication of Kingdom Building Ministries. To learn more about KBM or see our other publications, visit us online at www.kbm.org.

14485 E. EVANS AVENUE · AURORA, CO 80014

800.873.8975 • KBM.ORG

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NOW WHAT? - laborer-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com€¦ · Life is now an adventure-filled journey in a relationship with your Heavenly Father. In this book are suggestions on how to keep