why THRIVE?

This Past Wednesday night, I challenged our mid-week crowd to take the “Thrive” Challenge starting Thursday, March 31 and lasting for 21 days… This challenge consists of a fast and daily disciplines that are outlined in the THRIVE booklet… see attached.

Why?

Why do this?

Well… We are in a pivotal season as The Church. Oasis is in a pivotal season. Easter is coming up, thousands of people are going to be saved by the Grace of God, and many Christians are being led to “go deeper” in their walk with Jesus… We are attempting to help in that desire…

So many are living their lives just “surviving”… not THRIVING. God’s plan has never been for us to just SURVIVE… He desires for us to THRIVE.

Read the following which is the THRIVE booklet and I encourage you to take this challenge with us… Let’s believe God to do GREATER things as we are obedient and rely on HIM.

Thrive Booklet:

What is THRIVE?

Thrive is a 3 week spiritual journey focused on moving us from a place of surviving to THRIVING! During this time, our church will unite by Praying, Fasting, & Giving to see old cycles broken, align with the timing of God, and establish ourselves in a place of Financial Freedom.

Webster’s definition of THRIVE is:

1. to grow vigorously

2. to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances

3. to gain in wealth or possessions

1. 21-day Thrive Challenge

Pray, Fast, & Give every day for 21 days.

We believe as we do this together for 21 days, we will grow spiritually, see obstacles removed, and move toward personal Financial Freedom.

2. Passover // Special Offering

Sow a financial seed for the Passover / Easter Offering.

3. 21 Day Thrive Commitment and Special Financial Goal

1. According to the scientific community, it takes just 21 days to develop a habit, good or bad! By uniting to Pray, Fast, & Give for 21 days, we will develop powerful spiritual habits that can last a lifetime!

2. We are in an appointed time on God’s calendar. We are in a season of heightened spiritual activity. Jesus often performed miracles around Passover as well as Pentecost and Tabernacle. It is important to align ourselves with God’s timing.

3. God is moving! We want to move with Him, from just surviving to THRIVING!

Let’s get started. It’s time to move from surviving to THRIVING!

*Important Notice: Fasting requires reasonable precautions. If you have any health concerns, please consult your physician prior to beginning your fast, especially if you are taking any medication, have a chronic condition, or are pregnant or nursing a baby.

Day 1 – Thursday

Read the story of Passover in Exodus 12 & 13. Meditate on the power of God’s deliverance. Ask God to show you

areas in your life where culture has enslaved you. Write down the areas in your life you want God to help you in

moving from surviving to THRIVING.

Thrive Challenge: Wake up 30 minutes earlier every morning during this challenge to create margin or extra

time for your spiritual growth.

Journal Entry

How are we going to THRIVE?

Why now?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Day 2 – Friday

Read Isaiah 58:6-8. List the promises mentioned that result from a fasting lifestyle.

Thrive Challenge: Box up unopened food items that you won’t be using during this fast and give them as an offering to the hungry. Drop it off at Higher Grounds Café or any other local food pantry (ex: bread, cookies, sweets, meat, sodas, etc.).

Journal Entry

Day 3 – Saturday

Read Daniel 1:8-15. Daniel resisted the foods and practices of his culture and became stronger and healthier than

those around him. Ask God to give you and others supernatural strength and favor as we fast. Write down

areas in your life where you’ve developed an appetite for culture. How has that appetite affected your life?

Thrive Challenge: Calculate the money you will save by fasting and consider applying this toward your THRIVE

Commitment.

Journal Entry

Day 4 – Sunday

Read Acts 10. Cornelius, through Praying, Fasting, and Giving, brought an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to his

culture.

Thrive Challenge: Unite with other believers for a time of prayer and worship either at Oasis, your home, or

somewhere in your community.

Journal Entry

Day 5 – Monday

Read Galatians 5:1. FREEDOM!

Thrive Challenge: Ask the Lord today how He would have you use your gifts and talents for FREEDOM to Thrive at Oasis. Visit www.OasisOnline.tv or the facebook page at www.Facebook.com/OasisChurchGulfCoast or the Guide to explore ways to connect through volunteering, participating in small groups, getting equipped, and serving through missions outreach opportunities.

Journal Entry

Day 6 – Tuesday

Read Romans 12:1-2. Ask God to renew your mind and reveal to you His plan for you to THRIVE.

Thrive Challenge: Don’t read or watch any news today. Instead, choose to read or watch something positive.

Also, unite with other believers for a time of prayer and worship either at Oasis, your home, or somewhere in your community.

Journal Entry

Day 7 – Wednesday

Matthew 6:25-34 reads: 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body,what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sowor reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry,saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Thrive Challenge: Apply the principle of this passage and commit to coming to church every Sunday during the 21-day Thrive Challenge. Be an active worshipping and giving participant in each weekend service.

Journal Entry

Day 8 – Thursday

Read 1 Cor. 10:1-13. Ask God to empower you to THRIVE. List areas in your life that you currently are facing

temptation or just surviving and ask God to provide you the way to THRIVE in that area.

Thrive Challenge: Do what James 5:16 tells us to do. Get transparent! Have the courage to share your struggles

with someone else and believe God for the breakthrough.

Journal Entry

Day 9 – Friday

Read Numbers 11:1. Write down the areas in your life that you find yourself continually complaining.

Thrive Challenge: Regardless of circumstances, don’t allow yourself to complain about anyone or anything for

the entire day.

Journal Entry

Day 10 – Saturday

Read Matthew 11:28-30. Embrace God’s Sabbath for you, your friends, and family.

Thrive Challenge: Disconnect from culture today by avoiding technology (TV, computers, video games, etc.)

and use that time do something special with your friends or family.

Journal Entry

Day 11 – Sunday

Read Proverbs 28:27. Consider that there are over 2 billion people in the world living in poverty, surviving on less than $1 per day.

Thrive Challenge: Ask the Lord to show you an area in your life that you could make a sacrifice (ex. reduce cable, sell a possession, fast a meal regularly, etc.). Consider giving that amount to make a difference in another person’s life.

Journal Entry

Day 12 – Monday

Read Psalm 103. Make a list of the blessings you are currently enjoying.

Thrive Challenge: Don’t pray today for anything. Simply, praise God for everything.

Journal Entry

Day 13 – Tuesday

Read Matthew 20:25-28. Consider ways in which you can follow Christ by serving others.

Thrive Challenge: Serve our community by participating in the Easter Events for Easter weekend -or- demonstrate a random act of kindness to someone.

Journal Entry

Day 14 – Wednesday

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, whichis here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Thrive Challenge: Apply the principle of this passage and commit to coming to church every Sunday for the remainder of the 21-day Thrive Challenge. Be an active worshipping and giving participant in each weekend Experience.

Journal Entry

Day 15 – Thursday

Read Numbers 13:1-31, 14:1-10. Joshua and Caleb had a different perspective because of their faith. They

had a different spirit which caused them to see giant opportunities where others saw giant obstacles.

Thrive Challenge: Take a “giant” step today. Start that project, initiate that conversation, do that thing you’ve

been dreaming about today!

Journal Entry

Day 16 – Friday

Read Mark 11:23-24. Consider the obstacles and challenges that hold you back from THRIVING.

Thrive Challenge: Write down this scripture and carry it with you all day. Any time you face an obstacle or have

a thought about one of your challenges you may be facing, simply read this scripture out loud to your obstacle.

Journal Entry

Day 17 – Saturday

Read Mark 2:27. Sabbath is literally translated “take a breath.” Ask the Lord to reveal to you areas of your life

where you need to “take a breath.”

Thrive Challenge: Get outside with friends or family. “Take a breath” and explore God’s creation and enjoy

cultivating THRIVING relationships with those you love.

Journal Entry

Day 18 – Sunday

Read Matthew 26:26-28. Jesus often ate a meal with His friends. He used this time of community and communion

to build and strengthen their relationships. He also used a meal to represent becoming our Passover Lamb at the

Last Supper.

Thrive Challenge: Gather with your friends or family, share communion, and pray for courage needed to fulfill the radical faith steps you’re considering in order to THRIVE.

Journal Entry

Day 19 – Monday

Read Psalm 19:14. In this passage of scripture King David is asking that the words of his mouth and the meditation of his heart be pleasing to the Lord.

Thrive Challenge: With your close friends or family, reflect on your journal entries from this 21-day THRIVE

Challenge. Make note of your successes, where you are now THRIVING, and how Praying, Fasting, and Giving has

changed your life.

Journal Entry

Day 20 – Tuesday

Read the story of the widow in 1 Kings 17:8-16. The widow moved from surviving to THRIVING by the act of giving in faith. Consider the radical step of faith you want to take to move from surviving to THRIVING.

Thrive Challenge: Make it a point to initiate that radical step of faith… JUST DO IT!

Journal Entry

Day 21 – Wednesday

Psalm 105:37 says, “He also brought them out with silver and gold, And there was none feeble among His tribes.”

Meditate on this scripture as we discuss Passover and Easter and move from surviving to THRIVING!

Thrive Challenge: Join us for the Refresh service tonight to celebrate our victories from our 21-day THRIVE Challenge and give our “first fruits” Passover / Easter Offering to the Lord.

Move

from

surviving

THRIVING!

Eric Camp for MS House District 111

Experience. Proven Leadership. Family. Conservative

why THRIVE?

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