God-Imagined Adventures: Devotional Stories

By Jeff Zirkle

Are you enjoying a God-imagined life, fulfilling dreams and leaving a contagious legacy worth inheriting? Or are you only following your own imagination, pursuing mundane and hollow worldly paths that lead to only temporary success and limited joy?

God-Imagined Adventures is a series of real-life experiences and examples sure to inspire you to dream and live as God imagines. Jeff "Coach" Zirkle will encourage you through these real stories, showing you all the joys and challenges that come in the seasons of life and in biblical principles that will work. You will learn how to build a healthy spirit, mind, and body, gaining intimacy in relationships and improving finances as you enjoy a servant lifestyle. Coach Zirkle's real-life stories will broaden the possibilities of your life and comfort your heart. His amusing life encounters can uplift your soul as you laugh and relive family adventures and Christmas stories; walking with characters in the biblical stories of Jesus's birth will also provide fresh insights and inspire imaginative celebrations of faith and goodwill.

With God-Imagined Adventures, you will gain valuable insight to key questions in life, overcome and thrive in tough times, and pursue God-sized dreams as you fulfill your destiny. Above all, these adventurous life stories will connect your heart to God's love, truth, joy, hope, and destiny. So read and take the dare--live as God imagines you!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Feb 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9781480874411

Jeff Zirkle

Jeff "Coach" Zirkle is a passionate and contagious follower of Jesus Christ, and he is full of imagination and energy. He recently retired as an ordained member of the clergy of the United Methodist Church, where he served for forty-three years. Also married for forty-three years, Jeff and his wife, Pam, are enjoying two married children, their spouses and two young grandchildren, and God-imagined retirement adventures.

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Copyright © 2019 Jeff Coach Zirkle.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Archway Publishing

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-4808-7442-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4808-7441-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019901997

Archway Publishing rev. date: 02/19/2019

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Adventure Devotional Stories (Titles)—Volume 1

Adventure Devotional Stories (Titles)—Volume 2

Adventure Devotional Stories (Titles)—Volume 3

Adventure Devotional Stories (Titles)—Bonus

Adventure Devotional Stories—Volume 1

Adventure Devotional Stories—Volume 2

Adventure Devotional Stories—Volume 3

Adventure Devotional Stories—Bonus

References

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To God, who imagined me before the creation of the world.

To Nelda Rollins, whose belief in me as a writer and tireless efforts improved these devotionals.

To Bill and Margaret Billingsley, who have supported me in God-Imagined Adventures.

To my parents, Madonna and Robert, for raising me in Christ and releasing me into ministry.

To my wife, Pam, for her amazing love and encouragement and for being an awesome teammate.

To all the saints, friends, and family who helped shape and inspire me with their love, prayers, and faithful witness.

Thank you!

Jeff Coach Zirkle

Adventure Devotional Stories

(Titles)—Volume 1

Adventure Devotional Stories

(Titles)—Volume 2

Adventure Devotional Stories

(Titles)—Volume 3

Adventure Devotional Stories—Bonus

DEVOTIONAL STORY 1

God-Imagined Beginning

Genesis 1:1–31

Who is God? How did He create the world? How did you and I begin? An assignment I had in a seminary class was to write a two-page paper and discuss these questions by reflecting on Genesis 1 and the doctrine of the Trinity of God (Father, Son, and Spirit).

Most people are familiar with the opening line of scripture: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). While we are quick to examine what and how God created, my attention was drawn to God. Before there was anything or anyone, there was only God. It was the first time I realized that everything begins in the imagination of God the Father. The Father imagines, dreams, plans, and purposes everything. Before there were angels, animals, or plants; oceans or mountains; man or woman, there was only God. Everything else existed in God’s imagination.

Repeatedly, we read in Genesis 1:1–31 the words And God spoke. Each time God spoke, something moved from His imagination, concepts, and plans to reality with shape, form, and connection. Is this not the person known as the Word of God? John 1 teaches us the Word of God and Son of God are one and the same and one with God, and all things are created by Him.

The Spirit of God is mentioned first not in Acts 2 but in Genesis 1:2. While hovering over the face of the earth, we learn later that it is the breath of God or the Spirit of God that is bringing creation and eventually humankind to life.

Who is God? Yes, the mystery of the Trinity—God the Father, God the Word and Son, and God the Holy Spirit—is revealed and works as one God in Genesis 1. How did God create the world? How does God create today? He imagines, speaks, and breathes!

This amazing God imagined all the world, the people, and history of the world. That includes you and me. As incredible as creation is, so are you and I. God created us in His image with the capacity to know and worship Him, enjoy a relationship with Him, and serve Him!

Rejoice! Go, dream, and live your God-imagined life!

DEVOTIONAL STORY 2

God Planned You!

Jeremiah 29:11

Most Christians have a Bible life verse. Mine is Jeremiah 29:11. The prophet Jeremiah was inspired to write, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Good news! God declared, I know you! Who else would know us better than God, who imagined us? That incredible truth invites and inspires you and me to realize we can know Him. We are more than a fleeting, imaginary thought in His mind. He declares, has, knows, and remembers the plans He wrote in a book in heaven. Scripture tells us, Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book, they all were written. The days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them (Psalm 139:16).

God’s imagination includes purpose, plans, and provisions. God gives you free will. You don’t have to live a God-imagined life. However, God has prepared everything you need to live in His abundance and fulfill a unique destiny designed just for you.

His purpose involves your having a loving, covenant relationship with Him. You are privileged to be a worshipper, disciple, servant, and steward who enjoys a deep fellowship as a child of God.

God’s plans and provisions include a unique DNA, body type, identity, personality, temperament, and interests for each of us. His provisions include special relationships such as families, spouses in most cases, friends, coaches, teachers, and mentors. God has a unique calling for you with talents, skills, gifts, and kingdom partners to fulfill His mission and your destiny.

Jeremiah 29:11 teaches that God is not against you. He does not harm you or make things difficult for you. Instead, God is for you. He plans to prosper you and give you hope, including a future and a destiny. Plans of prosperity include graces, mercies, gifts, well-being, and favor in your spirit, soul, and body. Such well-being and favor transform your relationships, work and career, finances, and servant arenas of your life.

Whatever your state of mind, physical condition, current relationships, career, or financial circumstances, it is not too late to begin or restore a God-imagined life. You can close unfinished chapters, be forgiven, stop sinning, and be born again and restored by the Holy Spirit.

You can dream God-sized dreams and fulfill your God-imagined destiny. Rejoice and start living the life God imagined for you!

DEVOTIONAL STORY 3

God-Imagined Destinations

Psalm 139:13–16; John 3:16, 14:1–5; Luke 23:43; Revelation 19–22

When you get where you are going, where will you be? Will the destination be worth the effort? Will you be where God imagined you to be?

Destiny! A destiny is traveled one phase at a time. In God’s big destiny picture for your God-imagined life are six phases. Phase 1 is to live in the imagination of God, the heavenly Father. Being designed and planned and dwelling in God’s imagination is a creative process that shapes the possibilities of your life.

The second phase is to live in a woman’s womb. This basic nine-month process is when you develop physically, grow necessary parts, and begin being shaped emotionally and influenced spiritually.

Phase 3 is to be born and live on earth all the days God imagined and planned for you. As Jesus demonstrated, you are created to be born again spiritually; live as incredibly as Jesus did; and be led, filled, anointed, gifted, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Phase 4 for a God-imagined, born-again, Spirit-directed disciple is the amazing place called heaven. Since life on earth is but a shadow of life in heaven, you will enjoy a time of worship, learning, growing, fellowship, work, and service that is filled with blessings beyond measure.

Part of this time is preparing to be the bride of Christ and eventually come with Christ in His amazing return and reign on earth. Thus, phase 5 is living, worshipping, and enjoying the peace of this season while witnessing and ministering to millennium-born people.

The sixth phase is the age of glory. Revelation 20:7–10 describes a time at the end of the millennium when Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet are released from the bottomless pit and lead rebellious millennium people against Christ. Christ wins! There is a recreation of heaven and earth, and we enjoy life forever in the kingdom with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Wow! The God-imagined life is far greater than anything you and I could design. It is better than any counter and counterfeit life Satan or well-crafted life parents, coaches, mentors, and religious leaders could ever offer you. When tempted to go your own way or take a path other than one in which you walk with God, stop, take every thought captive, and live fully in your God-imagined destiny.

DEVOTIONAL STORY 4

Unforgettable July 4th Celebration

1 Peter 4:10

July 4th is always a big day for our family. We celebrate that we are the United States of America, a nation founded on biblical values, a nation of freedom because family members and many others fought and served God with their lives. The best times were back when our grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles were living. (Mom—glad you’re with us!) We would gather for cookouts, games, and fireworks.

Uncle Richard was always spearheading the home fireworks display. Each year, he sought to make it the best celebration ever. One year, Erika Oshiro, an exchange student from Okinawa, Japan, lived with Pam, Amanda, Jonathon, and me. She had heard stories good and bad about my uncle Richard. She met him with great anticipation, and Richard promised a July 4th she would never forget.

Throughout the evening, Richard had been setting up his award-winning fireworks program. The sun was down, the family was gathered, and Erika had her camera ready to capture the event for her family in Japan. We all started clapping while awaiting the first of the fireworks.

Suddenly, the firework hit a telephone wire and veered off into a freshly cut wheat field. Sure enough, sparks flew. I never heard Richard swear before, but with an incredible cry for help, he ran, hurdled the fence, and was followed by all hands on deck.

Several of the women ran into the house and gathered sheets and blankets. Others gathered buckets of water. To our utter amazement, we got the fire out without having to call the fire department. The rest of the show went on without any more hitches, and Erika had witnessed an unforgettable July 4th.

Erika noticed something else about our family and our nation. We are often at our best in times of emergencies when situations call for everyone to pray, make sacrifices, and serve to overcome the challenge or help those in need.

That summer, she joined our congregation in studying the fifty-nine one another statements in the New Testament. A verse she affirmed but wrestled with was, As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10).

Erika talked about the two faces of Japan. The public face or practice was always doing the right and expected thing. You did not show or practice what was in your heart or inner face. She admitted that her culture really practiced a service that best suited one’s own needs or interests. I assured her that Americans often had the same struggle.

Erika certainly saw and heard some ugly things during her year in America. However, she saw and experienced a love and humble service in the Christian community that convinced her she must return to her country and church and live more from the heart.

May we examine our hearts with God, align ourselves with His Word, and live and serve using our gifts and resources on earth as it is in heaven just as God imagines.

DEVOTIONAL STORY 5

Excel in Joyous Servanthood!

Matthew 20:28, 25:21

You can learn a lot during visits to the bathroom. Listening to governors, mayors, well-known athletes, motivation speakers, prominent business and education leaders, and ordinary guys, you hear everything from wisdom to life’s troubles and trash.

Recently, I visited a church where I heard a person complaining. This person was listing often by name the sins and crimes people in the church were committing. One statement was, The trouble in this church is nobody is willing to do anything. Many of our staff and leaders aren’t willing to do the little things.

Seconds later, I heard this person complaining that someone hadn’t flushed the toilet. A person nearby suggested that he flush it and leave it better than he found it. The reply was astonishing. Who do you think I am, the janitor? This is unacceptable, and I’m going to talk with the pastor after worship!

I’m sure we’ve all heard similar statements where we work, worship, live, shop, and play. Truthfully, we all have made similar statements and played the fool.

Jesus modeled a calling known as servanthood. Most great, significant, successful, and respected people I know learned to do little things well early in life without complaint or even being asked in the first place.

Several months ago, I was entering the sanctuary to begin a life celebration for a champion who had been called home by our Lord. One who came to honor Arnold said, He excelled at doing both little and big things and did so without complaint or expecting praise. He truly was a servant of God!

One of his favorite scripture was Matthew 25:21. Jesus indicated that one of the responses we could hear when we met Him after death was, Well done good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter the joy of your lord.

Stop and ask God what little things are not on your radar, not being done with love and joy from the heart and unto the Lord. Go ahead and ask your spouse, significant other, family, boss, coach, teacher, or pastor the same question.

As a servant of God, the Lord Jesus, and life-giving Holy Spirit, repent of these sins of omission or good things done with the wrong motive or attitude. Reprioritize your to-do lists and goals and make excellence in service a passion of life. Rejoice and