Our desire is that you continue to grow and mature in your relationship with Jesus Christ. Here are some resources to help you on your journey!

• Daily Reading Plan
November Reading Plan

December Reading Plan
• Journal For The Journey
A Journal for the Journey
Jeremiah 29:13

Welcome to the Journey! My name is God and I'll be your guide for the rest of this trip.
To make the most of your Journey, I recommend that you take some notes on where you've been and what you've learned. That way, in case you lose sight of me on the trail, you'll have understood better how I hike and will be able to find me again easily.
My best-selling book on Survival in the Wilderness (a.k.a. Bible) is guaranteed to not only get you to your destination but will provide the safest, most beautiful and fulfilling trip that you could never have even imagined.
Here are a few suggestions for you as you begin to Journal for the Journey:

Keep a journal which you will write daily your thoughts using the acronym S.O.A.P. The SOAP guide will help you make the most out of what you've read and then apply that to your life rather than just reading the Bible but it never transform you into a new person.

Scripture – Record the scripture(s) you read that day which spoke to you the most and from which you derived your observation.

Observation – Write a brief observation of what the Holy Spirit taught you in the scriptures and give your thoughts a Title.

Application – Describe how you can apply these scriptures to your own life.

Prayer – Record a prayer that has been inspired by your study

*Date your entry at the top of the page
• Spiritual Growth Guide
Intro to Spiritual Growth

"Participation in the church is about your spiritual journey towards a deeper relationship with God—a journey that you must own for yourself. The goal of this journey is a deep, intimate relationship with Christ. A relationship that is so important that you freely choose to surrender and re-surrender your agenda and will to God's agenda for you and this world." adapted from Follow Me, by Greg L. Hawkins and Cally Parkinson.

The tools and resources in this guide will not automatically give you a deeper relationship with Christ. Just as going to Church does not make you a Christian, this guide will not make you like Christ. Philippians 2:13 says, "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose."

So, it is our hope and prayer that this guide will put you on the path to a Christ-centered life, that the tools and resources laid out here will help you move forward and deeper, and that they may serve as a catalyst to take you where you've never been before—a deep, vibrant, living, loving relationship with Jesus Christ.

Exploring Christ

Is this you?
Your faith is not a significant part of your life.
You know there is a God but you don't who He is.
You've heard the name of Jesus but you don't know who He is.
You're afraid of death and have no idea what will happen to you after you die.
You feel like something is missing.
You rarely, if ever, attend Church, read the Bible, or pray.

Jesus Christ says, in John 14:6 "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Christ is the answer for now and all eternity.

Take the next step:

Do you desire to hear more about God and His son Jesus Christ?
Attend Christian Life Fellowship (learn more about CLF at www.clflife.com)
Read God's Word
Bible reading plans can be found at the Youversion link on CLF's website.

Need a Bible? Ask for one at the Welcome Center in the lobby.
Don't like to read? Listen to the Bible at Youversion.

Are you ready to accept Jesus as your Savior?
Talk to a Pastor or Church leader. The CLF office phone # 239-283-2299.

Take the next step right now and read the next few pages that will clearly help you begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ right now.

Steps to Peace with God

How to Become a Follower of Jesus

STEP 1: God's Purpose – Peace and Life
God loves you and wants you to experience peace and life–abundant and eternal.

The Bible says...
"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16
"I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10

Why don't most people have this peace and abundant life that God planned for us to have? Because we have our priorities mixed up. If God is not first in your life then everything else will be out of order.

STEP 2: The Problem – Our Separation
God created us in His own image to have an abundant life. He did not make us as robots to automatically love and obey Him. God gave us a will and a freedom of choice. We chose to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God.

The Bible says...
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."Romans 3:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

Our Attempts to Reach God
People have tried in many ways to bridge this gap between themselves and God...

The Bible says...
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12
"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear." Isaiah 59:2

No bridge reaches God...except one.

STEP 3: God's Bridge – The Cross
Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose from the grave. He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between God and people.

The Bible says...
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ." 1 Timothy 2:5 "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." 1 Peter 3:18 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

God has provided the only way. Each person must make a choice.

STEP 4: Our Response – Receive Christ
We must trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and receive Him by personal invitation.

The Bible says...
"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20

"Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12

"That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9

Will you receive Jesus Christ into your life right now?

Here is How You Can Receive Christ:
1. Admit your need, (I am a sinner).
2. Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave.
4. Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Him as Lord and Savior.)

How to Pray:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God's Assurance: His Word
If you prayed this prayer...

The Bible says...
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved," Romans 10:13
Did you sincerely ask Jesus Christ to come into your life? Where is He right now? What has He given you?

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
Receiving Christ, we are born into God's family through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer. This is called regeneration, or the "new birth."

This is just the beginning of a wonderful new life in Christ. To deepen this relationship you should:
1. Read your Bible everyday to know Christ better.
2. Talk to God in prayer every day.
3. Tell others about Christ.
4. Worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a church where Christ is preached.
5. As Christ's representative in a needy world, demonstrate your new life by your love and concern for others. 6. As one of your first steps of growth as a new Christian, please consider attending our new believer's class called "Next Steps." For more information about this decision you have made, please call us at 239-283-2299 so we can give you some additional Spiritual Growth materials.

Growing in Christ

Is this you?
Your faith is becoming a significant part of your life.
You know there is a God and have made a faith commitment to follow Christ.
You are looking for ways to grow in your faith and understanding of God.
You have or would consider volunteering your time for a church related project.
You have given a few dollars to the church but don't understand "tithing."
You have started attending church occasionally, reading the Bible, and praying.

Take the next step.
Attend Church Regularly
Believers need each other. We need fellowship and encouragement, and we need to be fed the Word of God. We're also called to sing praises to our Father in Heaven.

Christian Life Fellowship exists to help ENGAGE the lost(those who are not following Jesus), to connect them with other Christians and begin to LIVE relationally with one another, to help them to FOCUS on growing spiritually and to challenge them to INVEST their lives in serving others.

Check out www.clflife.com for service times.

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:25

"They (the believers) devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." Acts 2:42

Pray Daily
Prayer is a spiritual communion with God, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession. Prayer draws us closer to God. You can pray anytime, anywhere. God will hear you. He loves you and wants to communicate with you. You can talk to Him about anything.

At CLF, we believe in the power of prayer. Send your prayer needs to prayerteam@clflife.com.
If you would like to be a part of the CLF Prayer Team via email, please email us at prayerteam@clflife.com.

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." Ephesians 6:18

"Pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. " Matthew 6:5-8

Read Your Bible
How can we be constantly learning more about God if we're not in His Word? As believers, we need to be in the Scriptures daily to strengthen our faith and relationship with God.

"I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

"Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105 Check out the Youversion link. Or, go to Biblegateway and click the Bible Reading Plans link.
Don't like to read? You can listen to the Bible at Youversion.

For a more in-depth application of God's Word go to Journal for the Journey.

Get Baptized
Baptism is an important step in your journey as a follower of Christ and an outward symbol of the work He has already done in your life. The Bible paints a beautiful picture of baptism as our identification with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. When you make the decision to accept Christ as your Savior, the Bible says that your old way of life is dead, and you are beginning a new life with Christ.
Accepting Christ as your Savior means you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and that by His death and bodily resurrection, He bridged the gap between you and God for all time. If you have come to this point in your spiritual journey, you are ready to be baptized. At Christian Life Fellowship, we come together to celebrate your commitment to your new life in Christ. Baptism expresses publicly what you have experienced personally as you committed your life to Jesus Christ.

Go through L.I.F.E. Orientation
L.I.F.E. Orientation is our membership class designed to give you a better understanding of who we are and what we believe. We'll talk about CLF's Vision, Values and the Vehicles we use to get there.
Call the Church Office to find out when the next class begins. (239-283-2299)

Volunteer
God desires to use you to bless the lives of others. God has given every one of us gifts and talents that we can use to serve others and bring glory to Him. Feel like you have nothing to offer? Remember that if you allow Christ to live through you then nothing is impossible.

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10

TREK
Trek is a Volunteer and Leadership Development program. Beginning with Mile 1: Introduction to Serving and continuing through Mile 7, you will learn the Biblical values and principals of servant leadership. If you are interested in developing you leadership skills or serving in an area, contact Mike Fialka for the dates of the next Trek Course.

Begin financially supporting the ministry at CLF
Everything we have is a blessing from God. You say, "But I worked hard for everything I have!" Who gave you the ability to work hard? Who gave you two hands with which to work and a sharp mind? We owe everything we have to God. God wants the first fruits of our labor. Step out in faith and give the first fruits of your labor to God by giving to your church.

How much?
In the Old Testament, if one adds up all the contributions of the typical Israelite - the basic tithes, first-fruit offerings, special almsgiving, prescribed sacrifices, specially vowed offerings, dedicatory offerings, free-will offerings, sacrifices, thanksgiving, and the half-shekel temple tax - it is conservatively estimated that the Israelite gave 33% of his income.
"Tithing should be treated in a manner not unlike the approach we take to the commandment, 'Remember the Sabbath Day.' The church does not follow the letter of the Sabbath law - adhering strictly to Saturday worship, linking one's journeys to less than five-eighths of a mile, or avoiding carrying anything; instead, the Church gets to the spirit of the commandment, urging that all believers devote themselves to the hearing of God's Word. In a similar fashion, the tithing laws cannot be pressed into service to dictate times and percentages, but we can look at the spirit of tithing, remembering that the God behind the tithing laws was the same God that we worship today.
Even in the Old Testament tithing was never intended to be a mere drudgery or test of obedience. It was a joyful endeavor. It was an expression of fellowship with God, which was freely granted solely by God's grace. It was the expression of a heart truly thankful to God for all his blessings in this life and the life to come. It was a tangible opportunity to give all glory to God, who allows His people to honor him with their "substance" (Prov 3:9); even their gifts were deemed acceptable by the mercy of God. And, it was a concrete way for fellow believers in the Gospel to express their fellowship with each other and to care for each other in a very specific way.
In short, tithing in the Old Testament, in God's own original design, was a Gospel activity through and through.

In these respects nothing has changed for the people of God today. Under the cross of Jesus Christ, giving for the Lord's work is still a joyous privilege, flowing from the Gospel itself. It expresses our thanksgiving to the God of all grace and gives all glory to him. By faith it recognizes that Christian giving is a sign of our totally undeserved fellowship with God, but certainly not a cause of that fellowship. With their hearts moved by the Gospel, we can give cheerfully (2 Cor 9:7) and as spontaneously as Jacob, for whom there was absolutely no law about tithing. As God has accepted us through the forgiveness of sins, he also accepts by the same mercy our meager gifts and uses them in his kingdom. With the love of Christ constraining us (2 Cor 5:14), our offerings express our love for those who bear the name of brother and our concern for those who do not yet know Christ." (Dr. James Bollhagen) The only time Jesus commends the Pharisees was saying they had done well by giving 10% of their income, and that they were not to leave other things left undone as well such as love, patience and kindness.

"A generous man will himself be blessed for he shares his food with the poor." Proverbs 22:9

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7

Go to www.clflife.com and click on 'Online Giving' to see the different options for giving.

Participate in Life Groups
What is a Life Group? A Life Group is where friends gather to do life together, under a trained leader. These include everything from Bible studies to affinity-based/age-related or topical groups. These can be started anytime, as long as the leader has been through our Life Group Leader Training. Our desire is that you get involved in a Life Group. Everyone needs to do life together with someone. At CLF, we do this through Life groups. This is where we rapidly grow spiritually and move one step closer in living a Christ- centered life. We have a Life Group emphasis in August and in January each year. If you are interested in starting a Life group: Contact Bob Padgham or 239-283-2299.
All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." Acts 2:44-47

Wednesday Night Study Groups
The Wednesday Night Study Groups are an opportunity to meet some new people at CLF while growing in Christ together. These are short-term studies that take place Wednesday Evenings in the Cafe or Sanctuary. For more information go to the Welcome Center located in the lobby at church.

Close to Christ
Is this you?
Your faith is a significant part of your life.
You read the Bible 3-5 times a week.
You pray daily.
You attend church on a regular basis.
You serve once in a while with a ministry.
You attend a Life group

Meditate on Scripture/Memorize Scripture
God has provided His Word so that we can know Him, know His plan for the world, and know how to live our lives. If we're never in the Word how are we going to grow in Christ? Meditation isn't sitting on the floor cross- legged, arms out, and saying "hmm." It is focusing on God and on His Word, mulling it over in our minds, memorizing it, and applying it to our lives.

Youversion is a good site where you can personalize your daily Scripture reading.

"I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

Share your Testimony with others
You have something millions of people do not have. You have experienced the greatest gift ever given. You have experienced amazing love! Please, don't keep it to yourself.
Share your story with others. Christ is the hope for now and for all eternity. What if your story makes the difference of eternity in someone else's life? Share with others what God has done in your life. Here are some resources for helping you to share your testimony with others. www.5clicks.com will help you write out your testimony. www.wayofthemaster.com has video lessons, audio lessons, and more on how to share your faith.

Fasting
Jesus fasted for forty days when he was being tempted in the wilderness, (Matthew 4, Luke 4). The apostles fasted when they were faced with important decisions like appointing elders in the church. The purpose of our fasting is to move us closer to God and to seek his will in our lives. It is a step of faith before God that says, "You sustain me, Lord. You are the giver of life." Fasting, in the Bible, is always linked with prayer. Never do we find people fasting in the Bible and just going about their normal lives. They fasted and prayed. They focused their whole beings on God.
While we don't recommend fasting for forty days, have you considered giving a day to fast and pray? Take a day and spend the whole day with God. You just might find yourself becoming more Christ-like.

"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:16-18

Christ-Centered
Is this you?
Your faith is central to your life.
You read the bible daily.
You pray several times a day because it comes naturally.
You attend church weekly.
You serve on a regular basis.
You attend a small group.
You mentor others.

Disciple/Mentor Others
Discipling others doesn't have to be an in-depth program and it doesn't have to take hours upon hours of training. Christ taught his disciples through daily life. They followed Him and learned from Him as they went through life.
Disciple others by sharing with them what God has done in your life, and what God is teaching you now. It can be with a friend, your children, a co-worker, or a neighbor. Discipling others is about you sharing what you have already learned in order to bring others to a deeper relationship with Christ.

Lead or co-lead a Life Group or another Ministry
God desires to use you, and to use what He has given you, to bless others. Allow God to work through you. If you haven't already, go through the Life Group Leader training to find out about your God-given strengths and gifts.

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10

Seek Out Relationships in Which to Share the Love of Christ
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a 14 man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:1-13

We are commanded to go share the love of Christ with others. We have the greatest gift ever given and we need to share it with the world. God desires that every person come to Him and know Him, and we can be a part of that. What could be better than making the difference of eternity in someone's life today?
www.wayofthemaster.com has video lessons, audio lessons, and more on how to share your faith.

Others-Oriented
At some point in your spiritual life you change from being a consumer to serving others. This is key to spiritual growth. Some Christians always ask to be spiritually fed when the Scriptures teach us to mature in our faith and then go and teach others. If you never make this transition, you will never truly live a Christ centered life.
People who live a Christ centered life are always looking for ways to deepen and broaden their faith. They challenge themselves to study the Scriptures, mentor others, get involved, and to be the light of the world wherever they are. This is a life-long quest that you need to be on.

Wrap up
There are many ways to move along in your faith. This guide was written to give you an idea of how the progression takes place. Nobody is going to force you to take the next step; you need to take it on your own. We hope that you do because in doing so you will be living the abundant life that Jesus talks about in John 10:10. May the LORD bless you as you continue to seek Him.