It’s been a while since I’ve updated you on my special Bible class material project: “Plugged In: High Voltage Prayer-The Bible Class.” I am excited to announce that within the next few weeks the story of Steve and Sarah and their victory in Christ through prayer will be released for personal and congregational use. I’ve received great feedback about this class material and I’m truly excited to be able to offer it to you.
God’s Way Works is excited to announce the latest class book in our Bible Class Material department–Ezra: Rebuilding God’s House, Restoring God’s People.
Would you like to know more about the post-captivity period of God’s Old Testament nation Israel? I’ve often found that even good students of the Bible have not studied this part of Biblical history in depth. That is a travesty because Ezra gives some valuable insights into restoring God’s plan and pattern for His covenant people. In this material, you and/or your class can learn about the rebuilding of the temple following the Babylonian captivity, learn of the stellar example set by Ezra, and discover the the restoration of God’s people after they had intermingled with the foreign nations.
“How important is your family? What are you willing to do to make your family stable and functional? Are you willing to work long hours to provide materially for your family? Are you willing to rise up early and stay up late to accomplish all the goals and activities in which your family is involved? Are you willing to eat the bread of painful labors to give your children a better life?…
I received lots of great feedback here and offline regarding the idea for my upcoming prayer class. The class will be entitled “Plugged In: High Voltage Prayer,” basically because that’s what I call everything I do about prayer. Maybe I should be more creative with titles. But hey, when you start with something that works, you might as well stick with it. I’m more than halfway done with the class book that I’ll use here at Brownsburg. Thought I’d share a sample and see what you think about the way it is shaping up.
Do you ever look back at the past years with regret? When you see where you are now, do you wish you had done something different in the past? You had great plans, but they never happened? Do you ever say, “I coulda done such and such, but… I shoulda done this and that, but… I woulda done the other thing, but…” Would you like to snap out of this life of regret and learn how to get rid of your big BUT?
I want your help and input. I’ve had what I think is a cool idea for a Bible class to go along with my book: “Plugged In: High Voltage Prayer.” Instead of just giving you 13 lessons about prayer with questions in a vacuum, I want to get the lessons to fit into real life. Therefore, I’ve decided to tell a story about “Steve and Sarah.” As the students learn Steve and Sarah’s story, they learn about how High Voltage Prayer fits in real life. Check out my introduction in this post and let me know if this kind of class or small group study would interest you.
Perhaps one of the most misunderstood aspects of Christianity is grace. We all think grace is amazing. We all want grace. We all love grace. However, many of us wonder what grace really is. Some Christians seem to cheapen grace, seeing it as a get-out-of-jail free card. Others seem to discount it, seeing it as something for the weak. What is it really? How much should we rely on it? As Philip Yancey asked, “What is so amazing about grace?”
Dan Miller, author of “48 Days to the Work You Love” and “No More Mondays” and the force behind 48days.com, is one of my reading and listening mentors. That is, I read his books and listen to his podcast as often as I can. I even had lunch with him once, since he is a local of Franklin, Tennessee. I love to hear his ideas and gain insight from his experience. He is definitely one of my inspirations for going ahead and publishing my first secular, self-help book, “Getting to Did.”
Dan recently read “Getting to Did,” and here is some of what he said.
“Today I had a last minute lunch meeting cancellation so I grabbed your book as I headed out to eat lunch by myself. I started through and just kept reading until I finished. The waitress joked with me that they were charging me by the minute. Anyway – what a great read. Obviously, your message was a home run with me – so many people I see get stuck somewhere along the path you describe.”
“Getting to Did” tells the story of Sam, a middle-aged man who just lost his job and sees his world falling apart. He keeps hitting one roadblock after another until his neighbor, Dave, takes him under his wing, introduces him to three new mentors, and teaches him how to get rid of his big “but.” If you’ve lost a job, are looking for a job, are trying to figure out what your life is going to be about, or simply want to improve how you do your present work, Sam’s new mentors can help you out. They can help you turn your Couldas to Cans, your Shouldas to Shalls, your Wouldas to Wills, and get rid of your big but.
Dan Miller recommends the book to his clients. He also wrote: “I just sent my copy to a client I’m working with right now…” Now I’m recommending this book for you.
If you haven’t checked out “Getting to Did,” you can actually read it for free, right here on my website. Start here. Or you can go to my webstore and get your very own copy to write in and reference.
Order yours today!
Yes, that is an affiliate link.
(If you have stumbled across this post, you have found me blogging my upcoming book “Getting to Did: How To Lose Your Big But and Live a Life Without Regret.” In the last installment, Sam learned about YES MEN. If you need to catch up on the whole book, you can start with “Sam’s Crumbling World” which has an index of all the posts or you can follow the successive links.)
As Sam looked up from the paper, the COACH asked, “What do you think, Sam?”
“This is great,” replied Sam excitedly, “I’m on fire. I CAN Make the PLAY right now on sheer PASSION alone. You, however, have helped me realize it won’t always be like this. I have to be prepared for those moments when I don’t feel like Making the PLAY. I need to LOOK TO THE FUTURE, thinking in the big picture to stay motivated even when I’m not on fire about what I am doing at the moment. I must ACCEPT NO EXCUSES but face up to my responsibilities and push on to success. Finally, I need to get a council of YES MEN who’ll push me where and when I need to be pushed.”
“You’ve got it. Any questions?”
“Yeah, WILL you be one of my YES MEN?”
The COACH grabbed Sam’s hand and shook it, saying, “I thought you’d never ask. How about we go grab a bite of lunch and have our first YES MEN council meeting?”
“Sounds great,” Sam said. As he walked to the COACH’S car, he looked again at the card the COACH had given him.
*****
Sam was so excited as he shared what he learned with Susan she could not make even one objection to what he had to say. To Sam’s pleasant surprise, when he finished his ecstatic description, she said, “I WILL be happy to let you follow whatever course you think you SHOULD on two conditions.”
“Really? What are they?” Sam asked.
“First, let me be one of your YES MEN and keep me informed about what’s going on. Second, let me live by the same principles.”
“That’s awesome, as long as you promise to really be a YES MAN or perhaps I should say, YES WOMAN. I don’t mind if you keep me in reality, but will you be willing to dream with me and make those dreams realities?”
“I’ll put it this way,” Susan responded thoughtfully, “I don’t think I am as far down this GETTING TO DID path as you. But I promise to keep walking it with you.”
Sam jumped up and kissed his wife. It had been a while since they shared a kiss quite like that one.
(Come back next week to see Sam set up his Getting to Did Council and moves on with success in his life.)
This post does contain affiliate links.
