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"IN THE KNOW" @ PAULA'S HOPE 2023
Vol. 33 June 2023 IN THE KNOW @ Paula's Hope MONTHLY INSPIRATION
With God...Life Can Be an Adventure!
Summer is here and what better way to spend it than having an adventure! Summer is a time when we want to do something that takes us away from the normal, mundane daily activities of life and search for a place to go, see, and discover that we'd never dared to explore before. We want an adventure! Well, God wants to take you on an adventure not only in the summer season but for your whole life! Discover how God wants you to have the adventure of your life with Him! We hope the following article will inspire you to grab onto your life with God and have an adventure of a lifetime with HIM!
Adventure in the bible...
What does the Bible say about adventure?
When your heart is set upon Christ the Christian life is far from boring. It’s filled with adventure and many exciting moments. Walking intimately with our Savior is a lifelong journey in which you are being molded into His image. Let’s learn more about the Christian adventure below.
There are benefits to being intimate with Christ.
When God’s presence is not a reality in our lives, then our walk with Christ becomes mundane. The more intimate you become with the Lord; the more adventurous life becomes. Even the most simplistic things such as reading your Bible and watching a sermon become adventurous because you’re beginning to experience Him.
When you become intimate with the Lord you begin to listen to God’s voice more. You begin to realize that when you read Scripture that is an opportunity for God to speak directly to you. How awesome is this! It’s an adventure to see what God is going to say and do next. It’s such a privilege to be able to witness God’s work in our lives.
Are you seeking to experience His presence more? When you do your walk becomes less ritualistic and you begin to grow in your love relationship with the Lord. When you spend time in the presence of the Lord you will become bolder, and you will be more effective when God uses you around your community. A strong prayer life should lead us to adventurous situations all around us.
There is nothing boring about being used by God. There is so much activity being done by the Lord, but we miss out because our eyes are blind to the little things that God is doing right in front of us. Start spending time with the Lord and take advantage of the opportunities that God gives you. Pray that He will include you in what He is doing around you. Be aware of every subtle situation and every encounter that you have with someone.
1. Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
2. Philippians 3:10 “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death.”
3. John 5:17 “But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”
4. John 15:15 “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
5. Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
6. Exodus 33:14 “And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
7. John 1:39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see. So, they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.”
Your life will be filled with ups and downs.
It’s not fun when you’re going through trials, but trials bear glorious fruit in our lives. They also make for great stories. What’s a good adventure story without a little conflict?
Sometimes I look back at all my trials and I can’t believe all of the things that I endured on my walk with Christ. I look back and I remember God’s faithfulness in each trial. This life is a long journey, and you will go through hard times. However, in our hard times let’s look to Christ and not our circumstances.
8. 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 “Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”
9. John 16:33 “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
10. 2 Corinthians 6:4-6 “Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love.”
11. James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
12. Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
God is going to do a mighty work in you.
This is a lifelong adventure with Christ. God’s great goal is to work in you and conform you into the image of Christ. Whether it’s in marriage, in singleness, at work, while volunteering, at church, etc. God is going to do a mighty work. He’s going to work in you when life is going great. He is going to work in you when you’re going through trials. He is going to work in you when you make mistakes. If you are in Christ, you can rest assured that He won’t give up on you. Some people grow slower than others, but one thing that you can be confident in is that if you are in Christ, you will bear fruit.
13. Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who is producing in you both the desire and the ability to do what pleases him.”
14. Romans 8:29-30 “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.”
15. Ephesians 4:13 “Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
16. Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Prayer is greatly needed on your Christian adventure.
You will not get far on your walk with Christ without prayer. It’s unfortunate that many believers are neglecting prayer. Have we forgotten that God moves through prayer? Sometimes God does not change our situation immediately, but that’s OK. It’s OK because He’s changing us and He’s helping us to pray according to His will. It’s OK because He hears us and He’s working behind the scenes, but we might not see the fruits of it just yet.
God is doing something through your prayers. Praying makes this lifelong adventure so much richer and more intimate. It’s no coincidence that when I pray, I see things happen. Even if it takes three years don’t give up! If it was worth it to start praying about it, then keep praying about it!
17. Luke 18:1 “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.”
18. Ephesians 6:18 “Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.”
19. Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
20. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”
21. Acts 12:5-7 “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.”
When your heart is set upon Christ the Christian life is far from boring. It’s filled with adventure and many exciting moments. Walking intimately with our Savior is a lifelong journey in which you are being molded into His image. Let’s learn more about the Christian adventure below.
There are benefits to being intimate with Christ.
When God’s presence is not a reality in our lives, then our walk with Christ becomes mundane. The more intimate you become with the Lord; the more adventurous life becomes. Even the most simplistic things such as reading your Bible and watching a sermon become adventurous because you’re beginning to experience Him.
When you become intimate with the Lord you begin to listen to God’s voice more. You begin to realize that when you read Scripture that is an opportunity for God to speak directly to you. How awesome is this! It’s an adventure to see what God is going to say and do next. It’s such a privilege to be able to witness God’s work in our lives.
Are you seeking to experience His presence more? When you do your walk becomes less ritualistic and you begin to grow in your love relationship with the Lord. When you spend time in the presence of the Lord you will become bolder, and you will be more effective when God uses you around your community. A strong prayer life should lead us to adventurous situations all around us.
There is nothing boring about being used by God. There is so much activity being done by the Lord, but we miss out because our eyes are blind to the little things that God is doing right in front of us. Start spending time with the Lord and take advantage of the opportunities that God gives you. Pray that He will include you in what He is doing around you. Be aware of every subtle situation and every encounter that you have with someone.
1. Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
2. Philippians 3:10 “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death.”
3. John 5:17 “But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”
4. John 15:15 “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
5. Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”
6. Exodus 33:14 “And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
7. John 1:39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see. So, they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.”
Your life will be filled with ups and downs.
It’s not fun when you’re going through trials, but trials bear glorious fruit in our lives. They also make for great stories. What’s a good adventure story without a little conflict?
Sometimes I look back at all my trials and I can’t believe all of the things that I endured on my walk with Christ. I look back and I remember God’s faithfulness in each trial. This life is a long journey, and you will go through hard times. However, in our hard times let’s look to Christ and not our circumstances.
8. 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 “Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”
9. John 16:33 “I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”
10. 2 Corinthians 6:4-6 “Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love.”
11. James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
12. Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
God is going to do a mighty work in you.
This is a lifelong adventure with Christ. God’s great goal is to work in you and conform you into the image of Christ. Whether it’s in marriage, in singleness, at work, while volunteering, at church, etc. God is going to do a mighty work. He’s going to work in you when life is going great. He is going to work in you when you’re going through trials. He is going to work in you when you make mistakes. If you are in Christ, you can rest assured that He won’t give up on you. Some people grow slower than others, but one thing that you can be confident in is that if you are in Christ, you will bear fruit.
13. Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who is producing in you both the desire and the ability to do what pleases him.”
14. Romans 8:29-30 “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.”
15. Ephesians 4:13 “Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
16. Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Prayer is greatly needed on your Christian adventure.
You will not get far on your walk with Christ without prayer. It’s unfortunate that many believers are neglecting prayer. Have we forgotten that God moves through prayer? Sometimes God does not change our situation immediately, but that’s OK. It’s OK because He’s changing us and He’s helping us to pray according to His will. It’s OK because He hears us and He’s working behind the scenes, but we might not see the fruits of it just yet.
God is doing something through your prayers. Praying makes this lifelong adventure so much richer and more intimate. It’s no coincidence that when I pray, I see things happen. Even if it takes three years don’t give up! If it was worth it to start praying about it, then keep praying about it!
17. Luke 18:1 “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.”
18. Ephesians 6:18 “Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.”
19. Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
20. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.”
21. Acts 12:5-7 “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.”
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Continue trusting in the Lord.
On this adventure you must not stop trusting in the Lord. Sometimes times might get rough, and you must walk by faith that God is leading you in the right direction. You must trust that He is good, and He knows what He is doing even if you are oblivious to what He is doing. 22. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” 23. Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” 24. Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” 25. John 14:26-27 “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Find this article by: Fritz Chery @ 25 Important Bible Verses About Adventure (Crazy Christian Life) (biblereasons.com) |
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COMING IN AUGUST
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TWO WOMEN'S KEYS CLASS
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