Big News at Bethel... The X Factor Devotional - Day Thirteen - January 27, 2010

“When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it…and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.’”
Genesis 28:16,22

Today’s passage finds Jacob running from the consequences of his actions and falling asleep at a place called Bethel.  While he was asleep, God revealed Himself to him in a personal way.  It was then the God of his fathers became his personal God too.

Before we see how this destiny moment changed his perspective about giving, let’s look at the point where God showed up in Jacob’s life.

God reveals Himself when we are at the end of ourselves.  Jacob’s scheming and trickery had brought him nothing but failure and rejection.  When he stopped running and fell asleep at Bethel, he had nothing.  It is when you are at the end of your rope God reveals Himself to you in a personal way.

God also reveals Himself when we are alone.  God came to Moses when he was alone with his flocks in Midian.  God came to Isaiah while he was alone in the temple praying.  God uses our alone time to reveal Himself to us because that’s when He has our undivided attention.

Jacob was forever changed at Bethel.  When God became personal to him, he immediately vowed to give God a tenth of everything.  This personal encounter with God changed Jacob from a taker in life to a tither.  Personal encounters with God result in changed lives.

Prayer Focus: Pray everyone touched by Impact will experience a personal relationship with God, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Ask the Father how the giving of your time, talent, and treasures can reveal your personal faith in Him.  Don’t wait to get to the end of your rope before you realize God is in control.  Surrender now.  Your life, your heart, your finances, your family, your church… It’s all His!  100%!  Maybe you’re already at “Bethel.”  When you wake up – look for God.  He’ll meet you there!

God is Bigger Than the Boogey Man... The X Factor Devotional - Day Two - January 12, 2010

“After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
Acts 4:31

Who knows the full extent of what God has in store for our church (The X Factor)?  Only God does!  But He longs to reveal more and more of His plan to us as we act in faith and see He is greater than all.

Acts chapter 4 describes the bold ministry of Peter and John, and the price they paid for proclaiming the Message.  Because they would not keep quiet about their Lord... because they were convinced their silence would carry eternal consequences... because their faith was in the One whose Name is above all others... they didn’t give up or give in.  Even though the authorities demanded they cease to teach about Jesus or even to speak His name, they refused and were seriously persecuted.

When Peter and John were released that day, they returned to their fellow Christians and joined them in praying to the God who is greater.  All the believers recognized the risks they were taking, but in the larger context, the threats didn’t matter.  As a result, their prayer was not filled with expressions of anxiety; instead, it overflowed with the promises of Scripture.  Their emotions and thoughts were anchored in the reality of who God is.  No one pretended the circumstances were pleasant, but everyone confessed two essential truths —God is sovereign and He is forever the Creator.

The same God these first century disciples devoted their lives to, that same Sovereign Lord and Creator, is our God.  And when we pray to Him, we are confessing confidence in the One who is greatest.  In response to our prayer, He can change the hearts of our enemies.  He can create a thirst for Jesus in the hearts of those who once rejected the Gospel.  He can create circumstances to override our prevailing circumstances.  And He can do all this because He is greater than all.

Prayer Focus: We face mountainous challenges at Impact.  How do we respond with the spiritual vision to see He, as the God who is greater, can cast those mountains into the sea or reduce them to a level path?  Pray about a “mountain” you are facing, and pray also about the “mountain” we face in our important The X Factor spiritual journey.  Let’s believe together that God can make a mole hill out of all our mountains… because He can!