Radical Change: A 40-Day Journey Toward The Transformed and Renewed You

By Wade A. Hartzell

According to Jesus, discipleship isn't an option. It's a commission that all are to invest in. A disciple is defined as someone who not only accepts the teachings of Jesus Christ but also helps spread these teachings into all corners of the world. Many accept the teachings of Jesus Christ as truth, but few are willing to share these teachings with others. The truth is, most Christians don't feel that they are equipped well enough to spread the Gospel. Radical Change is a tool for churches and individuals to equip them to be trained up to observe all that Jesus commanded.

The church today does a great job of celebrating when someone gives their life to Christ--and rightfully so, as even Jesus says there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repents than ninety-nine righteous people that don't need to repent. However, I feel that church fails and leaves them at the altar wondering what to do from there. We celebrate and then send them back into the wilderness to fend for themselves, hoping they will return next week.

The great commission is to make disciples, and I don't believe this is done through midweek Bible studies. Jesus called twelve individuals who would eventually turn the world upside down. He was more interested in the investment instead of the size of the congregation. The generation coming to the altar today doesn't have the support group at home to help them along this transformation journey. If we are going to make disciples to go into all nations, then the church has to take ownership of making the disciples. I wrote this book to help churches invest in the sinner at the altar with the goal to get them to the cross over.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9781638741725

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Radical Change

A 40-Day Journey Toward The Transformed and Renewed You

Wade A. Hartzell Sr.

Copyright © 2021 by Wade A. Hartzell Sr.

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.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Daily Bread

Persistence

I Have Nothing to Say

Pray without Ceasing

Don’t Worry about Anything

Don’t Worry about Anything

Prayer Keeps Us Globally Positioned to God

There Is Something Different about This Fruit

You Can’t Control the Outcome, but You Can Control the Income

Be a Doer of the Word

Words Speak as Loud as Actions

Worry about Today Only

How Do I Know if I’m on the Right Path?

Faith in God, Having Trust (FIGHT)

Physical Training Is Good, but There Is Something Better

Stay in Your Lane

Read Your Bible

Prayer

Service

Worship

Armor of God

Truth

Righteousness

Shoes of the Gospel of Peace

Shield of Faith

Helmet of Salvation

Sword of the Spirit

Praying Always

Diligence and Faith

Moral Excellence

Knowledge

Self-Control

Perseverance

Godliness

Brotherly Kindness and Love

Give a Testimony

When God Calls an Audible

Call Down the Waters

What Do You Have?

Be His Workmanship

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

—Romans 12:2 (KJV)

Introduction

If you are looking for the next best self-help book, then you have chosen the wrong book. This book is more of a God-help book. In order to have a radical change, God needs to have complete control from this moment on. Our ways and our thinking haven’t given us God’s expected end. In his book, Radical , David Platt puts this change we need perfectly: "Why would we ever want to settle for Christianity according to our ability or settle for church according to our resources? The power of the one who raised Jesus from the dead is living in us, and as a result, we have no need to muster up our own might. Our great need is to fall before an Almighty Father day and night and to plead for him to show his radical power in and through us, enabling us to accomplish for his glory what we could never imagine in our own strength. And when we do this, we will discover that we were created for a purpose much greater than ourselves."

These next forty days are going to be a journey that will lead you to a closer walk with Jesus. There will be times in this journey when you will be asked to step outside of your comfort zone, but don’t worry because you won’t be in this alone. You will be partnered up with strong men and women of faith who will help you through this process. This 40-day devotion wasn’t written so you could live your life a little different, but it was written so that you could live the life that God has designed for you. A life that is not conformed to your old ways, but a life that is completely transformed and renewed. In Jeremiah 29:11, God tells us that he knows the plans he has for us, and he wants to give us his expected end. In order for God to give it to us, we need to let him sit in the driver seat. Forty days to God are significant for change. In Genesis, we read that it rained forty days and nights so that God could cleanse the world and start over, and this is what you need—to be cleansed from your old ways and start over renewed. After Jesus rose from the grave, he spent forty more days on earth teaching his disciples how to live their lives differently. They had grown accustomed to Jesus being in physical form and showing them how to live. All they had to do was follow in his footsteps. In John 14:5, we find Jesus informing his disciples that his time on earth was almost up, and they were going to have to live a life without him: Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

At this moment, you, too, may not know where to go from here; but if you complete every step of this devotional, Jesus will spend these next forty days teaching you how to live your life differently. Before you turn the page and begin your journey, take some time to pray for God to reveal himself to you over these next forty days. Each week of this journey will contain checklists that need to be completed in their entirety. You will also notice some digging-deeper exercises for you to complete each day. I encourage you to pray before completing these exercises and ask God to reveal himself to you through this reading. Remember, some things may be uncomfortable and different to you, but I stress once again this is not a self-help book but a God-help book. If you take this journey, I am confident that at the end, you will prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God in your life.

Week 1 Checklist

Contact a disciple coach that will be with you through the whole process. You will have contact with your coach twice a week to discuss any questions or challenges you are having. This coach needs to be someone who is strongly grounded in their faith. If you can’t think of anyone specific, ask your pastor for a recommendation.

Set up a weekly meeting with your pastor. You will need to meet with your pastor once a week for the next five weeks. In the first week, set up your next five meetings. By having the date set ahead of time, it will help you stay dedicated.

Meet with your pastor to discuss what the church offers throughout the week. You need to attend as many church functions as possible over these next forty days. Your disciple coach is important, but so is fellowship with other believers who have the same desires as you.

Obtain a Bible. You will need to get your own Bible. If you don’t have one already and don’t have access to one, ask your pastor or coach for assistance obtaining one.

Sunday school is mandatory. Sunday morning services are important, but Sunday school is where we can learn how to read the Bible. If your schedule doesn’t allow you to attend your church’s Sunday school, then set a time up during the week that your coach can go over the Sunday school lesson with you.

Contact your family and close friends. You will need the support of your family and close friends over these next forty days. Contact them all this week to let them know that you are trying to make changes in your life and ask them if they can support you throughout these next forty days.

Attend a minimum of two functions this week at your church. Staying involved in church will be crucial to this process. Depending on your local church, you will need to attend two of any of the following services:

Sunday morning service,

Sunday evening service,

Sunday school, and