I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

Revelation 3:8

Walk through the Door of __________________

The first 7 days of this Journal will be filled with Open Doors. See them as invitations. Whether the scripture above speaks to you, or itʼs the challenge below, fill this space with your thoughts, prayers, and plans for 2014.

Questions to Spark your writing each day...• What is the first thing that comes to mind? Go with it.

• What does the scripture above mean to you?

• What are the steps you plan to take in the next 30 days to walk through this door?

Each day this box will be filled with encouragement, insights, and challenges to guide you through this 14 day journey. Allow all of these to serve as sparks inside your prayer and journaling times.

Our teaching series this month, along with this journal, is entitled OPEN for two main reasons...

1. It is a question. Are you OPEN to something new, even something unfamiliar?

2. God is waiting to exceed our greatest expectations of what He can do in our lives. This idea is also a challenge, how much do you want?

And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.

Habakkuk 2:2

Start the year by seeing the SUNSET. Your sunset is simply the picture you see for your life and the lives of those connected to you. Pray for the vision to see it more clearly. Be audacious enough to write it down and plainly articulate what you are believing God for. Picture it. Make it plain.

God is not taken back by the vastness of our prayers.

The first step toward creating an improved future is developing the ability to envision it.

VISION will ignite the fire of passion that fuels our commitment to do WHATEVER IT TAKES

to achieve excellence. VISION has no boundaries and knows no limits. Our VISION is

what we become in life. -Tony Dungy

Walk through the Door of Vision____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Exodus 33:14

See the key scripture today as your promise. Just as God spoke this to Moses, He speaks it to you. Refuse to be surprised by challenges and difficulties, Jesus has gone before you and ordered your steps. Rest in His finished work!

Use the journal space today to write down the things that are robbing you of rest.

Move forward.

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and youʼll recover your life. Iʼll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I wonʼt lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and youʼll learn to live freely and lightly.”Matthew 11:28-30 (Message Bible)

Walk through the Door of Rest____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Isaiah 26:3-4

Many people trust God with select pieces of their lives, very few trust Him with ALL.

What areas of your life can you give fully to Jesus this year?

Give God the parts and places in your life that you hold onto the tightest. Trust Him with your greatest fear, honor Him with what you think he does not care about.

Proverbs 3:5Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Walk through the Door of Complete Trust____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship

Romans 12:1

Worship is not just the songs we sing on Sunday, nor simply the acts that we do for God. Worship is the awareness that every inhale & exhale is from Him and for Him. Worship is simply a result of your life. Whatever occupies your mind the most eventually becomes your god.

Start seeing every moment of your life as a chance to honor God and inspire others to see Him!

·Weʼre here to be worshipers first and workers only second -A. W. Tozer

Worship changes the worshiper into the image of the One worshiped -Jack Hayford

Walk through the Door of Worship____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship

Romans 12:1

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

Psalm 103

Jesus Heals.

Jesus heals broken bodies, broken minds, broken spirits, broken relationships, broken lives. Your healing may be instantaneous or it may be a process, a journey, that God is calling you to be OPEN to.

Take a moment today and simply google “Bible Scriptures on Healing”, read them and leave your doubts at the door.Jesus heals.

Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.

-Helen Keller

Walk through the Door of Healing____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Take a moment today and look up these passages of scripture...

Romans 1:7, I Corinthians 1:2, Titus 1:4, 1 Timothy 1:2, Colossians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Revelation 1:4

The scriptures today may seem redundant, overkill, “ok, we get the point”...

Do you?

These are the beginnings of letters, messages, and passion filled memoirs that men wrote about Jesus. They wrote these so that others could see the Lord they had come to love. They always started without Grace & Peace.

Determine now to start this year, to start every day, to start every new relationship, to start every unexpected adventure, to start every moment with Grace and Peace.

Give Grace and Peace.Accept Grace and Peace.

Walk through the Door of Grace and Peace____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

The word “assurance” comes from the greek word, hypostasishypostasis = assurance, firm confidence

What are believing God for? Write is down, speak it out in prayer, greet it daily with hopeful expectation.

God is pleased by GREAT FAITH.

Biblical Faith is not a vague hope grounded in imaginary, wishful thinking. Instead, Faith is a settled confidence that something in your future, something promised by God, is going to happen.

Faith is not blind, it is not a superstitial hope in the face of contrary evidence. Faith is a confident trust in the eternal God who is all powerful, infinitely wise, and eternally trustworthy.

We didnʼt name it doubt church.-Pastor Josh

Walk through the Door of Faith ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God,

Revelation 3:12

The Pillar of _____________________

In 2014 God wants to make you a Pillar in His House. Pillars are steady, unchanging, and valuable to the entire structure. Pillars are Planted! Psalm 92:13 gives us this promise...

They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God.

As God builds His House within you, each day we will focus on a pillar that is vital to the strength and soundness of your personal residence.

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3:16

During your writing and prayer time, ask yourself these questions to see each Pillar planted deeper in your life...

• How am I doing in this area right now? Real Life-Change begins when we are transparent before God.

• Why is this of value to me?

• What am I going to do in the next 30 days to develop a healthy habit or consistent commitment in this area?

O God, you are my God; early I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Psalm 63:1

Prayer to your spiritual life, is like water to your natural body, you have to have it or you will die. Prayer is simply talking to God and taking the time to listen. Develop this habit and take Davidʼs advice here in Psalms, pray early in the day. Otherwise, you might lose track of time and be too tired before bed.

Donʼt pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A

man is powerful on his knees.-Corrie ten Boom

Satan trembles when he sees the weakest Christian on his knees. 

-William Cowper

The Pillar of Prayer____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

Read Genesis 2:7 before you go forward...

Think about that.

The very same thing that gave us life, that brought about reality, is the very thing that brought the Word of God to us. When you hold the Bible, you are holding the very breath, the life of God!

How much do you want? How open can you get?

Commit to read Godʼs word everyday this year. Download the youversion.com Bible app and find a reading plan that connects with you. Set a time and refuse to waiver.

Let God fill you with NEW LIFE everyday.

The Pillar of Godʼs Word______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"There is a Book worth all other books which were ever printed"-Patrick Henry

That your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Matthew 6:18

Fasting is setting aside something for God. Whether that be food, soda, or Facebook, this is a personal commitment you have with God. Fasting brings you closer to God by creating space for you to seek Him more. Fasting isnʼt something you “do” to get God to answer your prayer. Fasting causes us to be OPEN. Fasting aligns our lives with Godʼs plan for our future.

Hear Jesus call you away today, away from distracting routines and tiresome

gutters that always drain in the end. Hear his invitation... More of Me, less of you.

The Pillar of Fasting____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

2 Corinthians 9:6

God has given us two hands -- one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not

cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for giving. -Billy Graham

What if you saw your life as a channel of God? This ideal supersedes obedience in weekly giving or random acts of kindness along the way... it is a shift in how you do life. What if it is the only way to really live?

3 Open-Handed Challenges• Give words of life everyday to your spouse,

children, and friends• Commit your tithe to the Lord, trust Him with

10% and watch him bless the rest• Give something unique away this year; A

watch someone compliments you on, a random gift card to a single parent, a free sitter for a couple you know.

The Pillar of Generous Giving________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:24

Wrong relationships are invited invaders into your future that will only distract from your purpose and calling. In life there are Takers, Fakers, and Time Wasters. There are Users, Abusers, and Short Fusers that will drain your energy and deplete your resources. Move on. You are not called to everyone.

Surround yourself with people who speak life.

3 Challenges from Hebrews 10:241. Surround yourself with people that stir up the good in you.2. Meet with them often (find a Circle in 2014)3. Make encouraging others a daily priority

The Pillar of Christ-Centered Relationships__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Proverbs 13:20

This is a made up word. That being said, howʼs your Leadollowing going?

What is Leadollowing?

2 Big Questions...Who are you leading?

Who are you following?

If you are leading without following youʼll become narcissistic. If you are following without leading youʼll become dependent. Difference makers Leadollow.

What are you reading? Who are you investing in? Who are you serving? When was the last time you bought someones lunch who was smarter than you? Look behind you, look out ahead, leadollow.

The Pillar of Leadollowing______________________________________________________

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One of the greatest values of mentors is the ability to see ahead what others cannot see and to help them navigate a course to their destination.~ John C. Maxwell

An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

Proverbs 18:15

Todayʼs challenge may seem rather different, almost opposite. Being a Pillar that changes seems counterproductive.

Most Christians learn, grow, and seek to discover new things about God their first 3 years of their Christian journey. Somewhere along the way they stop and decide they know what they believe.

Donʼt ever do this.

You are not done growing. You donʼt know everything there is to know about the most common of Christians ideals. The Bible is filled with deep wells that the seeker can drink from eternally.

Refuse Satisfaction.

The Pillar of Change____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________