The Start of a Lifelong Journey...

Hi! My name is Rachel and I am the newest staff member at Precept Ministries Inc and Transform Canada. Part of my job description is the Assistant to the Transform Canada Director, Mark Sheldrake. For those of you that know Mark – feel free to give me a hug if you ever meet me..haha! But seriously, I could not have wished for a better boss and/or a more supportive Godly team of co-workers to serve alongside with.

I am 25 years old and have been happily married to my husband, Bram for almost five and a half years. We live outside of town with our 7 month old puppy, Sophie. We have a passion for playing worship music and a love of hospitality, fellowship and food:) Our desire is to have a living, breathing, active and vibrant relationship with God that overflows in all we do. And so we continue on this spiritual journey…

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
 ~ Matthew 5:6 (NASB)

Friend, do you pass by your Bible and pick up that novel that you can’t seem to put down? Do you spend most nights plopped on the couch with a bowl of chips watching television shows or movies that leave you feeling empty afterwards? I’ve been there…and truly not that long ago! I had the privilege of growing up in a loving Christian home and I really and truly gave my heart to the Lord at the age of 16. One thing that I had never really incorporated into life was Bible study. My excuse was always not having enough time or when I did pick up my Bible, not understanding what I just read and giving up. 

I began working with Transform in November 2011 and can remember leaving my interview, after having read over the contract and realizing that weekly Bible study and participating in a class discussion was mandatory. Oh boy, I thought….daily Bible study homework. I’m never going to understand what is going on. I had almost totally written it off before I even started. I jumped in as our Tuesday afternoon class was transitioning into Jeremiah Part 2. WOW, was I ever wrong! Studying inductively helped me to have purpose and a goal during my time with God - something that people with a “perfectionist” nature (such as myself) thrive with. After really and truly walking through Jeremiah’s life and ministry and looking at the people of Israel verses such as Jeremiah 29:11 have new meaning.

“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope...” (NASB)

This verse is quite often used to celebrate graduation in any capacity. While the verse is true, looking at the context of what is going on gives tremendous depth to the verse. Jeremiah had been prophesying to the people of Jerusalem for 23 years. His message was that of returning to God – leaving their wicked ways, not looking to false gods and a slew of other things. When chapter 29 picks up Jeremiah has sent a letter to the exiles that have been taken captive and moved to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah spoke to them countless times but they would not heed the word of the Lord through Jeremiah. God is punishing their disobedience with 70 years of captivity. But take a look at this…

“ ⁴Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, ⁵ ‘ Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. ⁶ Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease.  ⁷Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’” ~ Jeremiah 29:4-7 (NASB)

What does God want them to do? List them out loud…Ready?

1. Build houses and live in them
2. Plant gardens and eat their produce
3. Take wives and become fathers or sons and daughters
4. Take wives for your sons and give daughters to husbands
5. Seek the welfare of the city where you are in exile
6. Pray to the Lord on behalf of the city

These people have just seen their city completely destroyed and many have been plucked from their homeland and taken to Babylon, a foreign place. If it were me, I can guarantee that I wouldn’t be too eager to do what God is commanding they do. A pity party may even cross my mind. Build, plant, take, seek, pray – those are all actions words. In our class discussion of these verses came the phrase “LIVE IT UP!” Though God was punishing them severely for their disobedience, he didn’t want them to waste their years of captivity. Israel is God’s chosen people and in verse 10 God promises that when the 70 years have been completed in Babylon that He will visit and fulfill His good word to them and bring them back to Jerusalem. I can already picture what I would have been thinking as an Israelite, Uhmm, God…you do remember that our city is destroyed, right?  But look at verse 11 now…

“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope...” (NASB)

Can you imagine what an encouragement this would have been for them? Wow. What you don’t see on the graduation cards is the next two verses which I think cannot be left out.

¹² ‘…Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.’ (NASB)

What is the practical application? God is always good and He cares for those that call upon, pray to and seek His heart. Notice, again, that call upon, pray and seek are all verbs…or actions words. He relentlessly pursues our hearts until we recognize our sin and, like Matthew 16:24 says “…deny ourselves, and take up our cross and follow Him”. We have a responsibility get to know our God through the study of His Word. Studying the Bible inductively gives you the tools to know God, which equals a transformed or changed life.

I can already see how my mindset is more focused, even in just a few months. The highlight of my day is usually sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea and my Bible study. Friend, I urge you not to make excuses. Will you take the challenge to establish yourself in God’s Word, one step at a time? The perfect place to start is with a resource called “Lord, Teach Me to Study the Bible in 28 Days”. In it you will learn the method of inductive Bible study and how to use it on a day-to-day basis.  It is so very rewarding and life-changing!!