July 16 – 22, 2017

{Monologues: Know Why You Know What You Know}

By Adam Pontier

I’m a mystery junky! I love mystery books. I love mystery shows. I love real life crime shows. I love “D” level mystery shows based out of random countries like Sweden and the Ukraine. (Thank you Netflix!) My favorite mystery stories are the original Sherlock Holmes novels. Of course I watch any show based on Sherlock Holmes and compare it the original stories. I love my job as a home inspector because I get to solve mysteries about physical things that go wrong in a home. I love learning about anything I don’t know about. Like I said, I’m a mystery junky.

I say I’m a mystery junky and not just a mystery fan for a reason. After any good mystery is solved (whether it is at work, a show or a book) I’m always looking for the next one to grab my attention and get my endorphins rushing again. That’s a pretty good sign of addiction.

As cheesy as this may sound, one of the things that I like most about God is that he is a mystery that never gets 100% solved. The story never ends. God is the mystery of all mysteries and everything else is a temporary substitute to occupy my mind. My passion for mystery is really a passion given to me by God to seek him. I’m grateful that he lets me experience both him and these earthly substitutes.

One of my hang-ups about faith and Christianity before I started following Jesus was that I thought it meant I would have to adopt some sort of dumbed down mindset that didn’t allow for discovery and science in the real world. As I began following Jesus I really struggled with some of the issues based around science and creationism that Christian people were known for. Instead of walking away from it all I decided to dig into the issues.

In the book The Language of God, by Francis Collins, I found something that really spoke to me. I found encouragement to seek God alongside the passion to learn about the physical world that surrounds me. When my passion for mystery met my need for knowing God, something permanently changed inside me. Something that God had placed there from the beginning woke up for the first time and I don’t believe will ever go away. What was awoken in me was a new kind of passion for God.

I have Genesis 1:1 tattooed on the inside of my left wrist. A lot of people get bible verse tattoos as reminders of scripture that really speaks to them. Genesis 1:1 on my wrist isn’t a reminder of God’s love or encouragement though. It’s a reminder that he started it all. It’s a reminder that he is the ultimate mystery. It’s a reminder to learn about the world he created.

“….for me the experience of sequencing the human genome, and uncovering this most remarkable of all texts, was both a stunning scientific achievement and an occasion of worship.” ― Francis S. Collins, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief

{sunday 7.16.17}

Read Job 36:26

Observe, Reflect, Apply: God is beyond what humankind can fathom. This can be awe inspiring or devastatingly defeating to think about. What do you feel when you hear the number of God’s years is unsearchable? What are some things you can do on this side of life to draw near to God, or seek to understand him in new ways?

{personal reflection and bible reading plan}

As you read the verses each day, make notes of questions you have about what you’re reading as well as answering the reflection questions below. Grab a friend or two to discuss what you are learning and what God is doing in your lives.

CLICK HERE to check out our latest video resource from Seth Davidson, The Journey Continues: Philippians 1 & 2.

{monday 7.17.17}

Read Philippians 1:1-11

Observe, Reflect, Apply: In the opening, Paul is praying for his friends in Philippi, and thanking God for their partnership. How cool is it that God sees us as partners, from that day all the way through to this one? Swap the word "you" with your own name and read the verses again. How does the meaning of the passage change for you as you read it in this way? How would you describe the shape of your partnership with God today? What is one thing you can do this week to improve that partnership?

{tuesday 7.18.17}

Read Philippians 1:12-22

Observe, Reflect, Apply: Paul’s deepest desire is that the story of Jesus be told, and people have the opportunity to hear it and embrace it. As you go about your week, how does your everyday life point toward the story of Jesus and his impact on you? How could your life reflect Jesus more to those around you? If you don’t know Jesus yet, can you think of someone you know that seems to follow and reflect him in their life? If so, would you be willing to talk with them about their story?

{wednesday 7.19.17}

Read Philippians 1:23-2:4

Observe, Reflect, Apply: What do you think it means, to "live as citizens of heaven"? How might a community of people come to the sense of unity and common purpose described in these verses? In your own circle/community, how can you increase the unity and purpose you interact with?

{thursday 7.20.17}

Read Philippians 2:5-18

Observe, Reflect, Apply: Describe what it looks like to "have the same attitude as Jesus" in our lives today? What does a person like that look like, sound like, live like? Who do you know that embodies this?

{friday 7.21.17}

Read Philippians 2:19-30

Observe, Reflect, Apply: In these verses, Paul commends those partners that he has sent out to encourage the people of Philippi. Who has God sent into your life to encourage and mentor you? Who might God have sent into your own life for you to encourage or mentor? Take a moment to thank those who have been part of your story, and take another moment to reach out to someone God has given you to uniquely encourage or partner with.

{saturday 7.22.17}

Read Philippians 3:1-11

Observe, Reflect, Apply: How would you describe the priceless value of knowing Jesus? If you don’t yet know Jesus, what questions do you have about a life spent following him?

{group discussion ideas}

We weren’t meant to experience the life of Jesus alone, so we encourage you to rally a few others to discuss what you are hearing, reading, and reflecting on together. Whether you are meeting as an Heartland group, talking with a few friends throughout the week, or bringing up spiritual conversations around your table at home, feel free to use some of these questions as conversation starters for The Journey.

• Can you name an ‘takeaway’ or challenge from the Sunday message?
• How has that been relevant, challenging, or meaningful to your life this week?
• What have you observed about God, Jesus, yourself, others, or God’s plan for you from these readings?
• Where do you need a breakthrough from God this week?
• Who do you need to share what you’re learning about God with?

{extra journey resources}

CLICK HERE for more on how to use the observe-reflect-apply approach to getting the most out of your Bible reading.

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Bible Gateway Provides advanced Bible searching capabilities, which allow readers to find passages in scripture based on keywords, phrases, or scripture reference.

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