Let the Journey Begin: God's Roadmap for New Beginnings (Hardback)

Max Lucado is an ordinary guy with a gift for writing about extraordinary things. His rare skill artfully combines the mundane and the magnificent and has made him one of America’s most popular Christian writers.

He takes the awe-inspiring and intricate truths of eternity and effortlessly weaves them into stories of everyday life and anecdotes about ordinary people.

His writing is not the stuff of lofty theological treatises, but rather the fabric of the daily conversations of Christians, striving to infuse Jesus into day-to-day life.

Lucado does not simplify the gospel, instead he magnifies it with powerful images full of sights, sounds, smells, and personalities. It is this ability to pull the mystery out of the Bible while enhancing its majesty that has won Lucado fans around the world.

Since his first book, On the Anvil, was published in 1985, Lucado has pumped out 17 books, six of them for children and teens. He now has more than 5.2 million books in print, most of which enjoyed a stint in the number one seat on the Christian Books Sellers of America list of bestsellers. In fact, he is the only author ever whose titles have simultaneously appeared on the hardcover, paperback and children’s bestsellers lists. A Max Lucado title has appeared on the CBA hardcover bestseller list every month for the past seven years. In addition, he is the first author to win the Gold Medallion Christ Book of the Year twice, in 1997 for In the Grip of Grace and in 1995 for When God Whispers Your Name.

With all these accolades under his belt, Max still says his greatest accomplishment is finding a "one-in-a-million" wife in Denalyn and having three wonderful daughters, Jenna, Andrea, and Sara.

There is even more to Lucado, however, than his family and his writing. He is also the pastor of Oak Hills Church of Christ in San Antonio, Texas. In fact, he says his role as shepherd of this large church comes before his career as an author and it serves as the foundation and inspiration for much of hiswork.

Lucado was born in the small town of Andrews in West Texas where his devout family raised him in the Church of Christ. He went on to college at Abilene Christian College where he briefly strayed from his Christian roots. About halfway through college, however, he regained his focus on God and spent a summer in Brazil helping missionaries. He later served in a small, inner-city church in Miami and returned to Brazil as a missionary himself.

His first book was based on a series of columns he had written for a church newsletter in Miami. Since then he has written award-winning books for both children and adults. His newest work, The Great House of God, is sure to touch millions as it leads a guided tour through the very dwelling place of God.

Copyright© 1999 The Parable Group. All rights reserved.

Write a letter to Max Lucado through his publisher at:

Max Lucado
c/o Word Publishing
545 Mariott Dr. Building 3 Suite 750
Nashville, TN 37214

A public e-mail for Max Lucado is not available at this time.

Preface
1 God's Plan for the Journey of Life—A Roadmap for Success
    Direction for the Road Ahead.....................................3
    The Strength of God's Love.......................................5
    Locked Behind Bars...............................................7
    A New Player on Our Team.........................................9
    Truth Will Triumph..............................................11
    Character Creates Courage.......................................13
    When God Says No................................................15
    We All Need a Father............................................17
    Not Every Day Is a Three-Cookie-Day.............................19
    The Cure for Disappointment.....................................21
    God Promises Gladness...........................................23
2 Stop, Look, and Listen—Good Habits for a Good Journey
    Healthy Habits..................................................27
    Prayers Are Precious Jewels.....................................29
    Set Your Compass in the Right Direction.........................31
    Grace Teaches Us How to Live....................................33
    Exposed to a Higher Standard....................................35
    The Bridge of Confession........................................37
    Rocking the Boat................................................39
    Honest to God...................................................41
    The Soil of the Soul............................................43
3 A Fork in the Road—Deciding Which Way to Go
    The Purpose of Life.............................................47
    Knowing God's Will..............................................49
    I Choose Love...................................................50
    The Fire of Your Heart..........................................53
    A Passion for Excellence........................................55
    You Are One-of-a-Kind...........................................57
    God's Signature Makes You Special...............................59
    Got It All Figured Out..........................................61
    God's Highest Dream.............................................63
4 Dangers and Detours Ahead—Slow Down, Avoid Disaster
    Godless Living..................................................67
    Revenge Is a Raging Fire........................................69
    Do You Have a Hole in Your Heart?...............................71
    The Answer to Arguments.........................................73
    Hatred Will Break Your Back.....................................75
    The High Cost of Getting Even...................................77
    Get Out of the Judgment Seat....................................79
    Mountains You Weren't Made to Climb.............................81
    The Soul Killer.................................................83
    God's Anger.....................................................85
    Grace Isn't Logical.............................................87
5 Two Is Fine Company—A Friend for the Journey
    God Is in Your Corner...........................................91
    Bury God's Name in Your Heart...................................93
    God Is Cheering for You.........................................95
    What We Really Want to Know.....................................97
    A Home for Your Heart...........................................99
    He Did It for You..............................................101
    What Size Is God?..............................................103
    God Is Your Home...............................................105
    Put a Bounce in Your Step......................................107
    God's Thoughts.................................................109
Prologue—Teach Us to Pray

Preface

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 don't know." At best they might agree that we are developed animals. At worst, rearranged space dust.

    What a contrast to God's vision for life: "We are God's 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, "You're 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
January 1998

Chapter One

The key question in life is not
"How strong am I?" but rather
"How strong is God?"

Direction for the Road Ahead

OCCUPY YOURSLEF WITH THE
NATURE OF GOD, NOT THE SIZE
OF YOUR BICEPS....

    That's what God told Moses to do. Remember the conversation at the burning bush? The tome was set in the first sentence. "Take off you sandals because you are standing on holy ground" (Exodus 3:5). With these eleven words Moses it 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 could explain to Moses how he is ideally suited to return to Egypt.... Then we'd remind Moses how perfect he is for wilderness travel.... We'd spend time reviewing with Moses his resume and strengths.

    But God doesn't. The strength of Moses is never considered. No pep talk is given, no pats in 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 the issur; the strength of God is.

Nails didn't hold God to a cross.
Love did.

The Strength of God's Love

* * *

    "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; that's God walking to school. Ponder the toddler at Mary's table; that's God spilling his milk.

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

In the Grip of Grace

You change your life
by changing your heart.

Locked Behind Bars

* * *

    Think of it this way. Sin put you in prison. Sin locked you behind the bars of guilt and shame and deception and fear. Sin did nothing but shackle you to the wall of misery. Then Jesus came and paid your bail. He served your time; he satisfied the penalty and set you free. Christ died, and when you cast your lot with him, your old self died too.

    The only way to be set free from the prison of sin is to serve its penalty. In this case the penalty is death. Someone has to die, either you or a heaven-sent substitute. You cannot leave prison unless there is a death. But that death has occurred at Calvary. And when Jesus died, you died to sins claim on your life. You are free.

In the Grip of Grace

Though we were spiritually dead
because of the things we did against
God, he gave us new life with Christ
(Eph. 2:5)

A New player on Our Team

* * *

    As youngsters, we neighborhood kids would play street football. The minute we got home from school, we'd drop the books and hit the pavement. The kid across the street had a dad with a great and a strong addiction to football. As soon as he'd pull in the driveway from work we'd start yelling for him to come and play ball. He couldn't resist. Out of fairness he'd always ask, "Which team is losing?" Then he would join that team, which often seemed to be mine.

    His appearance in the huddle changed the whole ball game. He was confident, strong, and most of all, he had a plan. We'd circle around him, and he'd look at us and say, "OK boys, here is what we are going to do." The other side was groaning before we left the huddle. You see, we not only had a new plan, we had a new leader.

    He brought new life to our team. God does precisely the same. We didn't need a new play; we needed a new plan. We didn't need to trade positions; we needed a new player. That player is Jesus Christ, God's firstborn son.

In the Grip of Grace

Answer the big question of eternity,
and the little questions of life fall into
perspective.

The Applause of Heaven

Truth Will Triumph

* * *

    Imagine that you are an ice skater in competition. You are in first place with one more round to go, If you perform well, the trophy is yours. You are nervous, anxious, and frightened.

    Then, only minutes before your performance, your trainer rushes to you with the thrilling news: "You've already won! The judges tabulated the scores, and the person in second place can't catch you. You are too far ahead."

    Upon hearing that news, how will you feel? Exhilarated!

    And how will you skate? Timidly? Cautiously? Of course not. How about courageously and confidently? You bet you will. You will do your best because the prize is yours. You will skate like a champion because that is what you are! You will hear the applause of victory....

    The point is clear: the truth will triumph. The Father of truth will win, and the followers of truth will be saved.

In the Grip of Grace

Preface

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 don't know." At best they might agree that we are developed animals. At worst, rearranged space dust.

    What a contrast to God's vision for life: "We are God's 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, "You're 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
January 1998

Chapter One

The key question in life is not
"How strong am I?" but rather
"How strong is God?"

Direction for the Road Ahead

OCCUPY YOURSLEF WITH THE
NATURE OF GOD, NOT THE SIZE
OF YOUR BICEPS....

    That's what God told Moses to do. Remember the conversation at the burning bush? The tome was set in the first sentence. "Take off you sandals because you are standing on holy ground" (Exodus 3:5). With these eleven words Moses it 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 could explain to Moses how he is ideally suited to return to Egypt.... Then we'd remind Moses how perfect he is for wilderness travel.... We'd spend time reviewing with Moses his resume and strengths.

    But God doesn't. The strength of Moses is never considered. No pep talk is given, no pats in 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 the issur; the strength of God is.

Nails didn't hold God to a cross.
Love did.

The Strength of God's Love

* * *

    "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; that's God walking to school. Ponder the toddler at Mary's table; that's God spilling his milk.

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

In the Grip of Grace

You change your life
by changing your heart.

Locked Behind Bars

* * *

    Think of it this way. Sin put you in prison. Sin locked you behind the bars of guilt and shame and deception and fear. Sin did nothing but shackle you to the wall of misery. Then Jesus came and paid your bail. He served your time; he satisfied the penalty and set you free. Christ died, and when you cast your lot with him, your old self died too.

    The only way to be set free from the prison of sin is to serve its penalty. In this case the penalty is death. Someone has to die, either you or a heaven-sent substitute. You cannot leave prison unless there is a death. But that death has occurred at Calvary. And when Jesus died, you died to sins claim on your life. You are free.

In the Grip of Grace

Though we were spiritually dead
because of the things we did against
God, he gave us new life with Christ
(Eph. 2:5)

A New player on Our Team

* * *

    As youngsters, we neighborhood kids would play street football. The minute we got home from school, we'd drop the books and hit the pavement. The kid across the street had a dad with a great and a strong addiction to football. As soon as he'd pull in the driveway from work we'd start yelling for him to come and play ball. He couldn't resist. Out of fairness he'd always ask, "Which team is losing?" Then he would join that team, which often seemed to be mine.

    His appearance in the huddle changed the whole ball game. He was confident, strong, and most of all, he had a plan. We'd circle around him, and he'd look at us and say, "OK boys, here is what we are going to do." The other side was groaning before we left the huddle. You see, we not only had a new plan, we had a new leader.

    He brought new life to our team. God does precisely the same. We didn't need a new play; we needed a new plan. We didn't need to trade positions; we needed a new player. That player is Jesus Christ, God's firstborn son.

In the Grip of Grace

Answer the big question of eternity,
and the little questions of life fall into
perspective.

The Applause of Heaven

Truth Will Triumph

* * *

    Imagine that you are an ice skater in competition. You are in first place with one more round to go, If you perform well, the trophy is yours. You are nervous, anxious, and frightened.

    Then, only minutes before your performance, your trainer rushes to you with the thrilling news: "You've already won! The judges tabulated the scores, and the person in second place can't catch you. You are too far ahead."

    Upon hearing that news, how will you feel? Exhilarated!

    And how will you skate? Timidly? Cautiously? Of course not. How about courageously and confidently? You bet you will. You will do your best because the prize is yours. You will skate like a champion because that is what you are! You will hear the applause of victory....

    The point is clear: the truth will triumph. The Father of truth will win, and the followers of truth will be saved.

In the Grip of Grace