Check out a sample page of Seek God for the City
Each day’s prayers spring to life from select promises. Weekly themes help you pray with sustained simplicity. Download a PDF to take a close look at some sample pages, or click each image below for a larger view.
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Tools for churches
Use these pre-designed displays and inserts to help promote Seek God For The City in your city or congregation. The promo kit is an easy way to download many tools at once. You can also scroll down to download individual files. There is no charge for these tools.
Promo Kit
Get many of the “Tools for churches” in one download.Download Promo Kit (15.7 MB ZIP)
Includes:
- PowerPoint Slides (editable)
- Bulletin Inserts (editable)
- Table-top Signs for $3 suggested donations – English and Spanish (editable)
- Images of the cover – web and printable (small sizes)
Does not include:
- Poster (scroll down this page to get the poster)
If you would like to choose individual files, scroll down or click a type to jump to a section:
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Lenten Literature
Today marks the first day of Lent, and as you observe the season, we want to recommend a few Trinity Forum Readings to help guide your time of reflection as we prepare for the joyful celebration that is Easter Sunday!
http://www.ttf.org/sites/default/files/images/Margaret/lent2.png"/>Wrestling with God: Simone Weil's account of finding the mercy and love of God in the midst of suffering;
Pilgrim's Progress: John Bunyan uses masterful storytelling to describe the difficult journey every pilgrim must take;
A Practical View of Real Christianity: An executive summary of Wilberforce's compelling 1797 manifesto on the Christian life and its role in society;
The Strangest Story in the World: Selections from Chesterton's Everlasting Man highlighting his own search for truth with focus on two things that are altogether strange and unique: the creature called man, and the man called Christ.
Grab one (or more!) of these Lenten reads and receive 15% off with the code: lent.
If you have any questions about the Trinity Forum Store or need assistance in placing an order, please contact us at store@ttf.org or 202.944.9881.
by Greg Asimakoupoulos
March 6, 2014
"So what will you be giving up?"
the pastor asked his flock.
"A Lenten fast can firm-up flabby souls.
Our self-indulgent comforts
interfere with keeping fit.
They can undermine our long term godly goals.
"A Facebook fast on Sundays
might provide the space you need
to face challenges revealed within God's book.
Or to go without your smartphone
after dinner isn't dumb
so to read some Oswald Chambers on your Nook.
"And what about that glass of wine
you sip most every night?
Could you forgo that pleasure for six weeks?
Could you replace that Cabernet
by swallowing your pride
and listening in silence as God speaks?
"Or maybe what you need to do
is not as obvious
as giving up your Starbucks or ice cream.
Perhaps what you need give up most
is not some thing... but you.
Let Jesus own your heart and all your dreams."
Walk as He Walked
Daily Lenten Readings in the Footsteps of Jesus
© 2014
By Rev. Jim Reapsome, Th.M.
Introduction
“Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did” (1 Jn. 2:6)
“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Pet. 2:21).
“For to me to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21).
Contemporary applications of these biblical texts range from WWJD (What would Jesus do?) bracelets and car sticker bumpers to full-page newspaper ads asking what kind of car would Jesus drive.
Earlier generations took a far more serious tack. Consider for example, The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis, first translated from French into English in 1503. Others followed, including Imago Christi: the Example of Jesus Christ by James Stalker (1889), The Imitation of God in Christ by E.J. Tinsley (1960), and The Example of Jesus by Michael Griffiths (1985).
Apart from these scholarly works, however, the 1896 novel, In His Steps by Charles Sheldon, has been credited with changing more lives than any book other than the Bible. According to Guideposts magazine (1996) it is the tenth most read book in the world. It remains in print.
The story is about an unknown tramp who wandered into a Midwestern church. He stood up and challenged the people to live up to their professions of faith, then he fell over dead. The people were so shook up that they pledged to do what Jesus would do for one year. Other churches followed and the idea spread widely.
Meanwhile, for centuries pilgrims have tried to emulate Jesus during Holy Week in Jerusalem by following his footsteps during his trials. Others have tried asceticism and various kinds of self-denial, including beatings and crucifixions. Wearing a bracelet seems much less painful.
However, all of these efforts fall short of the main principles Jesus taught and lived by. What did he actually do and why? Are there ways we can follow his example and walk in his steps without resorting to bizarre behaviors?
This book is an effort to do just that. We will follow Jesus for forty days. There is nothing magical about the number, even though it frequently appears in both Old and New Testament stories. I chose the number because it fits Lent, but obviously the book can be used at any time of the year. I’ve chosen forty (and there could be more) events and teachings in the life of Jesus that call Christians to serious thought and action.
A word about method. To gain maximum benefit from your journey, start by reading the biblical texts first. My thoughts in many cases are simple summaries of the stories. They are not intended to take the place of Scripture itself.
A brief prayer closes each day’s journey. Open your heart in prayer in thoughts that fit your needs and desires.
Portions of these devotions previously appeared in Jim Reapsome, Knowing Jesus, Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, 2008. Used by permission.
Before You Start Your Journey
An important word of caution is in order before we start our forty-day journey. It’s very simple: Do not try to copy the example of Jesus in order to claim acceptance by God for forgiveness and eternal life in heaven. No one can ever be as good as Jesus was. No one can fully track his performance. No one gains salvation by trying to be like Jesus.
We are starting this journey because we believe Jesus has forgiven us on the basis of faith alone, not by our efforts to be so good that God will accept us. Our walk will be extremely worthwhile only if we have made a commitment to trust Jesus and receive him into our lives as lord and savior. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).
Paul, Peter, James and John, who gave wise counsel to the early Christians, always based their ethical standards on the fact that their readers were “in Christ." It is useless and quite disappointing to attempt to follow the teachings of Christ without being certain that we are in union with him by faith.
For example, Paul explained that since we are being conformed to Christ’s image we should put on Christ. We are to have the same attitude that Jesus had. “Christ lives in me,” Paul said. We are his workmanship, so we are to grow up in Christ and live as he did. We are rooted and built up in Christ and enjoy his fullness.
That must be the starting point of our journey. Christ in us is not only our hope of glory; he is also the means of our walking as he walked. Start each day with thankfulness for all you are and have in Jesus. He promises to walk with us because he lives in us.
Day One
Jesus learned the ways of the Lord as a child
Luke 2:41-50
Jesus established strong spiritual roots in his childhood. Although the gospel writers give us just one story about Jesus as a boy, that is enough. His parents, Joseph and Mary, both walked in vital faith in the Lord. They obeyed God implicitly under the most demanding circumstances.
Joseph’s task was supremely painful, because he wanted to rid himself of pregnant Mary. However, when the angel told him not to do this, he listened and obeyed. When Mary could not understand how she could be pregnant while still a single woman, God told her how, not in medical but in spiritual terms. God’s Holy Spirit had impregnated her with his Son. Mary willingly submitted to the Lord.
Given these facts, it is safe to assume that Jesus imbibed strong faith as a child and youth. Luke’s brief conclusion tells us all we need to know: Jesus grew up with such unusual wisdom that he confounded the temple teachers. Beyond that, even at age 12, Jesus was known to walk favorably with God and the people—the neighbors and friends of Joseph and Mary and his brothers and sisters...
It's all here >>>
Jesus Hands. -Fran Dorsey
As a baby His mother lovingly counted to see that each finger was present on His hands
When He was a boy His hands growing He played wih His playmates
When He was twelve His hands held the sacred scrolls as He read from them
As a young man His had held a hammer and saw as He learned the trade of His father a carpenter
When began His ministry His hands pointed to the water jugs to be filled with water that was turned to wine
As a servant His hands healed the sick raised the dead and cast out demons from those in need
His hands blessed bread and fish as He reached out to the crowds to feed the multitudes
He comforted many with His hands
He even instructed the storm to calmness when the disciples feared their own death
His hands were used daily in the toils of life
His hands held the reigns of a colt as He rode into Jerusalem as their King
But when their King didn't satisfy their selfish needs and their pride they pierced those hands with nails and hung Him on a cross
His hands bled and His body bled and His fee bled and the blood from His hands, body and feet was the blood that was the ransom for our sins
And it is this blood that heals our bodies because He loves us
The word says that if we but ask He will answer our prayers so now we must raise our hands in prayer and thank Him for His love for us and receive His healing
Only in Jesus precious name only by His touch.
Friends,
Some friends in Asia asked to translate Seek God for the City 2014 for those who pray and read in Chinese. From what I’ve been told, they did a good job translating the entire prayer guide and making it available in both Traditional and Simplified text. The translation was completed only a few weeks ago. Most of our efforts have been focused on getting the prayer guide printed and distributed in Taiwan.
We are able to release the prayer guide in PDF form to be distributed widely but wisely. How to get a PDF copy: Please send your request telling us which version you would like to info@waymakers.org. Please include your name, church and where you live. We will be able to provide you access to the PDF files.
Please accept our apologies for providing this to you at this late date. Our hope is that it will still prove to be helpful. Please let us know how Seek God for the City proves valuable to mobilize and strengthen united prayer among Chinese reading/praying people. We anticipate that future editions may also be translated. Your feedback will be helpful. It’s a joy to be praying with you and many others.
Yours gladly in hope for His glory,
Steve Hawthorne, Director
WayMakers
512.419.7729
One of the most important seasons is almost here, and American Bible Society is excited to share this journey with you and your loved ones. Please join us for 7 weeks of Easter devotional emails.
Each week in Lent we would like to send you a free email with Scriptures to read each day along with a Lenten thought that will help prepare your heart for repentance and renewal.
Our team at American Bible Society has prepared a remarkable 40-day Lenten devotional journey through God's Word plus celebratory thoughts for Easter Sunday.
Each of the seven emails you will receive, only if you sign up to receive them, will contain a daily devotional that will inspire you and help you reflect during the entire week. You can simply read the Scriptures each day for a week along with the summary thought for the day that is in the email. Or ...
To take full advantage of the Easter series, simply click on the daily link and you will go directly to the complete devotional verse and biblical thoughts for a more profound and enriching Lenten experience.
No matter how you choose to use this Lenten series, I’m confident that you will be blessed and encouraged. Your journey from Genesis to Revelation will be a rich personal encounter with the God of the Bible as you contemplate what his son, Jesus Christ, did to offer you and me life, hope and a future.
Join me each week as this email series walks us along God’s marvelous path of grace and forgiveness. Let’s make the coming Lenten season a time of spiritual enrichment to be long remembered!
Download Free Lenten Devotional
Wednesday, February 18
In the calendar of the Christian year, Easter always comes a few months after Christmas. We are told that the earliest possible date for Easter is March 22and the latest is April 25. That means Lent (the six and a half weeks of spiritual preparation leading to Good Friday and Easter) could begin as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.
Some years Lent starts in the dead of winter.
Other years it begins closer to springtime.
This year it begins on February 18.
It is good that Christmas and Easter are not far apart because we cannot understand one without the other. If Christmas tells us why Jesus came, then Easter tells us he fully accomplished his mission.
In between those two events we have the whole life of Christ. That’s our focus this year as we walk “In His Steps.” Between now and Easter we will cover many of the places Jesus visited while he was on the earth. I hope in taking this journey together, we will come to know Christ better and to love him more.
The forty-seven devotionals take us from Ash Wednesday all the way to Easter. For five days (February 18-22), you can download the ebook for free from Amazon. After February 22, the book will cost $2.99 from Amazon. I hope you'll take advantage of the free offer in the next five days.
If you have trouble reaching the Amazon website, you can also download the ebook in Kindle, Epub (Nook), or PDF formats from our "In His Steps" pageon the Keep Believing website.
Please share this free offer with your friends. We're hoping thousands of people will join us on this Lenten journey through the life of Christ.
No one who met our Lord ever stayed the same. The same is true today. May these Lenten devotionals help us all to say, “Lord Jesus, I am ready to follow you!”
Ray Pritchard
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In part 6 of the 9 part series "The Prayer of Prayers", Keller discusses Psalm 51:1-19 and the power of repentance.Download or gift the sermon on MP4 for FREE >
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New – Jesus the King Study Guide
On February 23, Amazon and other retailers will begin selling a study guide based on Tim's book "Jesus the King".Pre-order the study guide now on Amazon.com >
Free 40 Day Lenten Devotional
View the devotional on Redeemer.com >
Download and view it on the Redeemer App >
Start the plan on your YouVersion Bible App >
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Get the FREE Easter Devotions eBook, Blessings of the Cross!
Prepare your heart for Easter and the beginning of the Easter season with the free download of Blessings of the Cross by Billy Graham, Max Lucado, Stormie Omartian and Anne Graham Lotz - the entire 48-page devotional eBook (PDF) with 40 days of devotions!
This Easter devotional eBook will walk you through the Gospel accounts on the life of Jesus, and the difficult road He walked during the final weeks before his crucifixion. Through your interaction with these readings, you will be a joyful witness of God’s carefully orchestrated plan to redeem the world through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Sign up and get your FREE Easter devotional eBook!
When you download this FREE eBook you will also start receiving the 40 Days to Easter devotional newsletter from Devotionals Daily at FaithGateway.
These free Easter devotionals will be delivered via email, each day bringing you inspiring messages and Biblical teachings from some of your favorite Christian authors, including Sarah Young, Lee Strobel, John MacArthur, David Jeremiah, Lysa TerKeurst and many, many more!
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Our FREE Easter devotions last for 40 days and culminate in readings for Passion Week and Easter Sunday.
Our Easter devotionals are from some our bestselling books, including:
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"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters ..."
Isaiah 55:1 (NIV)
We believe the church can change the world by taking on one of the greatest causes of our day: clean water. Take your church on a journey of understanding the plight of the most vulnerable through the new Living Water Lent Curriculum from World Vision. Your congregation will be inspired and challenged to follow Jesus to the margins.
This six-week series explores what it means for Jesus to be 'Living Water'. Each week includes Scripture reflections, experiential activities, and stories from rural Zambia where World Vision is sharing the living water of Jesus while helping communities gain access to clean, safe drinking water.
Together, the people of God can bring hope and transformation to people in the harshest places in the world. Join us in the margins.
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
In 2013, 83 percent of World Vision's total operating expenses were used for programs that benefit children, families, and communities in need. Learn More
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