Introduction and Day 1

Introduction:

You are ready to begin one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences in your life. Living out the Great Commission is truly one of the most rewarding experiences that we can do. You will find that in reaching out to the people “over there”, you will want to do the same for the people at home. 

When one prepares for a trip it is always important to count the cost. How much will it cost me to get there and back? What should I bring? Is it going to be hot or cold? What will I eat when I get there? It would be awful to start heading to your destination and realize you packed shorts for a blizzard, or that you had enough money to get only halfway there.

As we prepare it is also very important to count the cost spiritually. Over the course of the next 15 days we will examine God’s will for us as individuals, we will prepare to be a blessing in all cultural circumstances, and in the process will seek to grow closer to Christ through the process.

 

Day 1:

We start with prayer. 

Prayer is defined as, Fellowship with God through Jesus Christ, expressed in adoration, thanksgiving and intercession, through which believers draw near to God and learn more of His will for their lives. Scripture stresses the vital role of the Holy Spirit in stimulating and guiding prayer.¹

READ: Psalm 10:17, Luke 18:13-14, 1 John 5:13-15 and Hebrews 4:14-16

In Wilmington’s Book of Bible Lists, Wilmington suggests 8 qualifications for prayer. The first is that prayer should be humble. 

Humble. Humility. Respect. Submissive. Content. Are these words that describe how you approach God in prayer? If not, try it out. By putting God where he belongs in our lives as we pray, we align and prepare ourselves to work with God’s responses.

The second qualification of prayer is that prayer should be bold. When we have humbled ourselves and placed God where he deserves to be, the will of God and where he is moving will be easier to see. If we begin to pray with boldness to our God who is bigger than our fears and reservations, we will begin to see amazing things.

CHALLENGE: Spend today thinking about your humility in God’s presence. Spend time simply humbling yourself before our God. Ask God to prepare you, and to use you as you prepare to go on this trip. Pray boldly!

1

Manser, M. H. (1999). Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies. London: Martin Manser.