Max Lucado - Let the Journey Begin: Gods Roadmap for New Beginnings

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LET THE
Journey
Begin

MAX LUCADO

2009 by Max Lucado

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Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture quotations in this book are from the New Century Version. 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures noted NASB are from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE. The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977. Used by permission.

Scriptures noted NEB are from THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE. 1961, 1970 by The Delegates of the Oxford University Press and the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press. Reprinted by permission.

Scriptures noted NIV are from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Scriptures noted NKJV are from THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures noted MSG are from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

Scriptures noted PHILLIPS are from J. B. Phillips: THE NEW TESTAMENT IN MODERN ENGLISH, Revised Edition. J. B. Phillips 1958, 1960, 1972. Used by permission of Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.

Scriptures noted TLB are from The Living Bible. 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1-4041-8706-1

Printed in Mexico

09 10 11 12 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1

Table of Contents

Gods Plan for the Journey of Life
A Road Map for Success

Stop, Look, and Listen
Good Habits for a Good Journey

A Fork in the Road
Deciding Which Way to Go

Dangers and Detours Ahead
Slow Down, Avoid Disaster

Two Is Fine Company
A Friend for the Journey

Deep in every heart you will find it:
a longing for meaning, a quest for purpose.

If you ask the secularists, What is the meaning of life? they will say, We dont know. At best they might agree that we are developed animals. At worst, rearranged space dust.

What a contrast to Gods vision for life: We are Gods handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to devote ourselves to the good deeds for which God has designed us (Eph. 2:10 NEB).

God has placed his hand on your shoulder and said, Youre something special.

Untethered by time, he sees us all. In fact, he saw us before we were born.

And he loves what he sees. Flooded by emotion. Overcome by pride, the Starmaker turns to us, one by one, and says, You are my child. I love you dearly.

And he loves us forever. Should you ever turn from him and walk away, he has already provided a way back. Nothing can separate you from his love. If you anchor these truths firmly in your heart, you will be ready for whatever you may encounter on the road ahead.

So let the journey begin!

MAX LUCADO

WHAT A GOD!

Ponder the achievement of God.

He doesnt condone our sin,
nor does he compromise his standard.

He doesnt ignore our rebellion,
nor does he relax his demands.

Rather than dismiss our sin, he assumes
our sin and, incredibly, sentences himself.

Gods holiness is honored.
Our sin is punished... and we are redeemed.

God does what we cannot do so we can be
what we dare not dream: perfect before God.

IN THE GRIP OF GRACE

GODS PLAN for
the JOURNEYof LIFE

THE KEY QUESTION
IN LIFE IS NOT
HOW STRONG AM I?
BUT RATHER
HOW
STRONG IS GOD?

Occupy yourself with the nature of God,
not the size of your biceps...

Thats what God told Moses to do. Remember the conversation at the burning bush? The tone was set in the first sentence. Take off your sandals because you are standing on holy ground (Exodus 3:5). With these eleven words Moses is enrolled in a class on God. Immediately the roles are defined. God is holy. Approaching him on even a quarter-inch of leather is too pompous... No time is spent convincing Moses what Moses can do, but much time is spent explaining to Moses what God can do.

You and I tend to do the opposite. We would explain to Moses how he is ideally suited to return to Egypt... Then wed remind Moses how perfect he is for wilderness travel... Wed spend time reviewing with Moses his rsum and strengths.

But God doesnt. The strength of Moses is never considered. No pep talk is given, no pats on the backs are offered. Not one word is spoken to recruit Moses. But many words are used to reveal God. The strength of Moses is not the issue; the strength of God is.

THE GREAT HOUSE OF GOD

NAILS DIDNT
HOLD GOD
TO A CROSS.
LOVE DID.

Can anything make me stop loving you? God asks. Watch me speak your language, sleep on your earth, and feel your hurts. Behold the maker of sight and sound as he sneezes, coughs, and blows his nose. You wonder if I understand how you feel? Look into the dancing eyes of the kid in Nazareth; thats God walking to school. Ponder the toddler at Marys table; thats God spilling his milk.

You wonder how long my love will last? Find your answer on a splintered cross, on a craggy hill. Thats me you see up there, your maker, your God, nail-stabbed and bleeding. Covered in spit and sin-soaked. Thats your sin Im feeling. Thats your death Im dying. Thats your resurrection Im living. Thats how much I love you.

IN THE GRIP OF GRACE

YOU CHANGE YOUR LIFE