Max Lucado - Its Not About Me Personal Guidebook: Rescue from the Life We Thought Would Make Us Happy

ITS NOT ABOUT ME PERSONAL GUIDEBOOK

Copyright 2004 by Max Lucado

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Quoted material taken from the book Its Not About Me 2004 by Max Lucado. Published by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.

Introductions and questions written by Len Woods.

Scripture quotations marked (CEV) are taken from The Holy Bible, Contemporary English Version. Copyright 1995 American Bible Society.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from the English Standard Version, 2001 by Crossway Publishers, a division of Good News Publishers.

Scripture quotations marked (JB) are taken from the Jerusalem Bible 1974 by Darton, Longman, & Todd Ltd.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from The Holy Bible, King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked (THE MESSAGE) are taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked (NCV) are taken from the New Century Version. Copyright 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishing House. All rights reserved. The NIV and New International Version trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by the International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of the International Bible Society.

Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are taken from The Living Bible, copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. P.O. Box 80, Wheaton, Illinois 60189.

Cover design by UDG Designworks

Interior design by The Livingstone Corporation

Produced with the assistance of The Livingstone Corporation ( www.LivingstoneCorp.com ). Project staff includes Dave Veerman, Mary Horner Collins, Kirk Luttrell, Ashley Taylor, and Greg Longbons.

ISBN 978-0-71803-952-3

ISBN 978-0-31068-241-7 (eBook)

14 15 16 17 TCP 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS

Some time ago Max Lucado happened upon his long-time friend Sealy Yates in a hotel lobby. They hadnt seen each other in more than a year. Sealy had a few minutes and Max had an empty stomach, so the men bought deli sandwiches, found a table, and took a seat.

Making conversation, Max casually inquired, What has God been teaching you this year? Sealys answer gave Max more than a sandwich to chew on.

What has God been teaching me this year? Sealy reflected. Here is what Ive learned: Its not about me.

The phrase stirred enough reflections inside Maxs heart to become a series of messages and, eventually, a book. And because the premise of that book is so foundational and so life altering, the decision was made to put the Its Not About Me concept into a variety of different formats whereby it could impact the most people. The result is the guidebook before you. More than a how-to manual, this workbook functions as a life priorities program. It will provide effective tools that can rescue you from the dead-end life of self-absorption our generation has wrongly assumed would bring us happiness, and it will help you discover the kind of life God intended.

HOW TO USE THIS PROGRAM

The Its Not About Me Personal Guidebook is designed with flexibility in mind. Notice that the table of contents highlights 14 individual priorities. And each priority has a Session A and a Session B for a total of 28 sessions. You can work through these sessions in 28 days, 28 weeks, or however long you desire. Each session will guide you through the following sections, beginning with those for Session A.

Exploring: This section introduces you to the overall theme of the specific priority you are studying. If you have the opportunity to use this study in a small group setting, the questions here will serve to break the ice and warm up the group for a deeper, livelier discussion.

Reflecting: This section asks a number of thought-provoking questions about the truth just presented and about how we tend to live. The goal here is to get you to ponder the personal and eternal implications of the Bibles startling claims. We want to spark your curiosity, foster deeper understanding, and stimulate a true sense of wonder. Hopefully, your mind will be spinningin a good sense!as you contemplate the possibilities of embracing the Its Not About Me way of living.

In Session B, youll discover these sections:

Reviewing: These pages reiterate the big idea of the priority, and then they take you into the life and heart of a real individual or group of people. Using conversations and interviews, case studies, and actual testimonies, these vignettes show why the truth presented in the lesson is so crucial to everyday living. Again, youll be confronted with some questions designed to take Gods truth and move it from the realm of the abstract right into your daily life.

Evaluating: In these pages, buckle up and hold on! Why? Because here the questions become a bit more personal. Youll be asked to look again or look more deeply at the scriptures Max shared, and youll be challenged to hold up your life against the transforming truth of God.

Changing: The goal of the Christian faith isnt to get more theological information; its that we undergo spiritual transformation. So, the goal of this section is to apply the Bible to life. We want to become doers of the Word (James 1:22). In these pages we ask the Now what? questions: Now, in light of this truth, what do I need to do? How does my life need to change?

The Guidebook is not only a map; its a record of your hunger to want to know God better. Its a diary of your attempt to follow God more consistently.

In truth, there arent any rules for using this Guidebook, except maybe the charge to be honest. The only limits here are your imagination. You can write out confessions, describe the deep longings of your heart, or compose a poem or song of praise to God. List any questions you have, new insights youre getting about the nature of God, the changes youd like to see in your life, and your biggest spiritual hopes and dreams.

Try to hear and preserve what God is saying to you or, better, how Christ is touching you through your study. In years to come, this record of spiritual insights and divine encounter will become one of your most treasured possessions.

FINAL THOUGHTS...

As you begin this journey, here are a few reminders:

Pray. Before you begin, ask for Gods wisdom and insight. Prior to each session, ask him to make you open to and aware of whatever he wants to show you and however he wants to change you. Ask him for the strength to persevere, especially when the enemy of our souls tries like the devil (pun intended!) to divert you and discourage you.