WAKE UP!: A Forty-Day Bible Challenge

By Ralph Smith

This book is designed to assist someone in their walk with our Lord. There are different readings to be done in this book. This book was empowered by the word of God, and not just my own opinion of different issues. The other fact in the designing of this book: I truly believe there is a spiritual war, and we all will be in either our Lord's army or the devil's army. Thusly, this book is designed around the idea of a bootcamp, as to assist in the furthering of other people's walk, and my own walk with our Lord. This is the first in a series of books along this idea.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781644682364

Ralph Smith

Dr. Ralph L. Smith is professor of Old Testament at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas. He has the Th.M. and Th.D. degrees from Southwestern, and has done post-doctoral studies at Harvard Divinity School and The University of Chicago. His previous books include Job: A Study of Providence and Faith, and Amos in The Broadman Bible Commentary.

Book preview

9781644682364_cover.jpg

Wake Up!

A Forty-Day Bible Challenge

Ralph Smith

ISBN 978-1-64468-235-7 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64468-236-4 (Digital)

Copyright © 2020 Ralph Smith

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Introduction

The Challenge

The Oath

Men

Women

Husband

Wife

Recap

About the Author

This book is dedicated to three people. The first is our Lord Jesus, as he never left me, even when I left him. The next is my son. He is funny and kind, and I love him dearly. The last is anyone who reads and applies this book to their lives. I hope the word of God moves you as it has me. I feel the need to say this—I do not have any degree of any kind on religion or theology. This is simply what the word of God has spoken to my heart.

Introduction

This book and or plan is designed to challenge and assist anyone along their walk with our Lord Jesus.

This is broken down into various sections—Men, Women, Husband, Wife, and Recap. I could also cover parent, grandparent, son, daughter, nation, and church family. I will cover these areas in my next book.

I am aware there are many subjects and/or issues that are very sensitive to many people, such as abortion, homosexuality, and personal submission. There is the question—what does it mean to be a true Christian man and or woman?" I want it to be completely clear in the fact that I do not take any position; this book is simply based on the word of God. I believe that many of us put what we want the Bible to say and not what it explains on many issues.

The basic idea of this book, or study period, is the idea that we all are in either our Lord’s army or in the devil’s army. This program is designed to arm everyone with the knowledge that only comes from the word of God. Our Lord is the only true source of knowledge, power, love, and personal fulfillment. I believe that our modern philosophies and new-age psychology areas are misguided attempts to defer our focus away from the simple and majestic wisdom, love, and infinite intellectual superiority that can and only does come from our Lord Jesus.

The Challenge

I personally understand that in this world, we will be in either our Lord’s army or the devil’s army. Simply, one army or the other. In all armies, there is a period of intense training, mostly known as a bootcamp. In any army, there are some things worth standing up for, or to defend. In this program, or period of study, there will be personal responsibilities and personal growth.

This program is completely devoted to the word of God. This is not designed around anyone else’s definitions of the word, but simply the power of the word of God and nothing else. The timeframe of forty days is very important in the Bible—Moses was in the desert for forty years. The rainfall in the great flood was forty days and forty nights. And the time frame of forty days is the base of this period of study.

If you accept this challenge, you must fully and completely open your mind and spirit to the power of God. This is the challenge—I understand that my mind, body, and soul all are not my own, but for my use by the mercy of our Lord God. I must respect his ownership in my life. During this time frame, I will only listen to uplifting music, I will make wise financial decisions; I will also make wise nutritional decisions.

Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. (Isa. 1:16–17)

This passage is simple, powerful, and goes to the heart of this book.

The Oath

Men: My strength comes from my free willed complete submission to our lord. All peace, joy, and honor come from my Lord Jesus.

Husband: I will honor my wife with every decision. I will honor my leadership in my home. I understand that God has placed me in my position, and I will always seek his knowledge in my thoughts and actions.

Women: "My value come only when I submit my heart, mind—all of my being—to the ultimate wisdom and leadership that only comes from the word of God. I base my life simply on the word of God. I will not add anything to the word of God or subtract from it. Simply allow the power of god