journey onWord with us

It was a cold and rainy day, my football team lost … again, and our daughter headed home to Los Angeles.  That’s a lot to handle in one day. But before you start feeling sorry for me, you must know that I am very thankful for what God taught me this year, and thrilled to be starting a new year. What about you? As you review 2013 and look ahead to 2014, how are you feeling? You may be thrilled about the possibilities, you might fear what 2014 will bring, or you may even be resigned that 2014 will just be another year of the same.  None of us knows where the journey will take us in the next twelve months, but we at Journey onWord are determined to make it a Red Letter year.

My wish for you (and me) over the next year is that the words of Jesus will literally change us from the inside out. It’s easy for us to recite verses that relate to Jesus, but infinitely more difficult to live out the life of Christ as revealed in those verses. It was popular a few years ago to see the wrist band WWJD. It’s a great question. But I wonder how many times people genuinely knew, or searched the scriptures for the answers.  And how many then, acted in accordance.  In truth, doing what Jesus would do on a consistent basis is a result of seeking Him, being willing to submit to the Spirit, and then living out the principles that guided His life. Do you know many people who really live that radically?  It is our firm conviction at Journey onWord that taking a year to intentionally saturate our hearts and minds with Jesus’ words will be … life changing. It will be a Red Letter year!

In preparing to encourage you to spend a year reading the words of Jesus, I have determined to immerse myself in everything I can find on the life of Christ over the next year. Words from the back cover of a new book (my wife just bought) by Mark Batterson reminded me of the struggle to really follow Jesus.  The book All In states, “Many people believe they are following Jesus, but they have mistakenly invited Jesus to follow them.” Mark Batterson calls it “the inverted gospel.” He challenges you to go all in and all out by fully surrendering your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. That is when the true adventure begins. Candidly, the words, “they have mistakenly invited Jesus to follow them,” can easily be a picture of my life and yours. But 2014 can be a Red Letter year.

With the above words as my passion, I would like to ask you a simple question. Would you be willing to let 2014 be a personal Red Letter year for you? Starting this Wednesday, we will be publishing a very unique Bible reading plan.  For an entire year, we are going to study the words of Jesus.  It will be far different from reading through the Bible cover to cover. Our goal is to help you slow the pace of your devotional time, by being able to focus on His words. Since there will be less to read, you may want to study the words in different Bible translations, look at Bible commentaries or intentionally meditate on each day’s passage. We will also be focusing our twice-weekly devotional articles on the truths and questions revealed and raised from the very words of Jesus. Do you believe looking daily at the Red Letters can change your life?

In three short days, a new year begins. Putting Christ at the top of your New Year’s focus and resolve will help you begin the next phase of your journey in the best way possible. Beginning a new diet, starting to workout again, and beginning 2014 with a new attitude are all great resolutions. But they pale in comparison to intentionally studying and applying the words of Jesus for an entire year.  Having a Red Letter year will change your life and mine!

Watch for the Red Letters this Wednesday!