Day 40: Engagement Friday How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? ~Romans 10:14-15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” ~Mark 16:15-16 You have good news that could save the lives of...
Day 39: Continuing Transformation Thursday But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. ~Galatians 5:22-25 Jesus knows His commandments are hard – impossible to live out in our own strength. But He has not called us to produce this kind of life on our own. He has called us to belong to His Spirit....
Day 38: Authentic Community Wednesday But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For through him we both – Jews and Gentiles – have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. ~Ephesians 2:13, 18-19 There are numerous rights, freedoms, and privileges that we enjoy simply because we’re American citizens; but there are many responsibilities of citizenship as well. In the same way,...
Day 37: Rule of Scripture Tuesday In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. ~John 1:1, 14 The Word of God is more than black letters on a white page. The Word of God is a Person – an eternal, all-powerful, creative, life and light-giving Person! The Word is God Himself, yet God come to us in human flesh....
Day 36: Gospel-centeredness Monday You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. ~1 Corinthians 6:19b-20 God doesn’t purchase you from lawlessness, sin, and death only to release you to your own devices. He ransoms you that you may be His. Through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, God claims your every moment, your every opportunity, your every desire, and your every allegiance. They’re all His. As a believer, you no longer retain the right to have the final say over your life. To outsiders, this seems oppressive. However, to...
Day 35: Worship Sunday Theme of Praise: God is righteous and holy; therefore, we set ourselves apart to Him, pursuing lives of radical nonconformity to the world, the flesh, and false religion. Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory. Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. ~Isaiah 6:3; Psalm 97:6; Revelation 15:4 Read over these verses...
Day 34: Love for the City Saturday And when Jesus drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace!” ~Luke 19:41-42 Many Christians today are caught up in the allure and the sinful pleasures of city life. Others are disgusted and repulsed by the “filth and carnality” of the city. Jesus was neither. When He saw the city, His heart broke, and He felt compassion. He literally wept over the city’s rejection of His peace. And He prayed over the...
Day 33: Engagement Friday As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. ~1 Peter 4:10-11 One of the many ways God manifests His grace is by giving gifts that enable us to serve one another in word and in deed. So in a very real sense, it’s His words every time we speak the truth...
Day 32: Continuing Transformation Thursday …including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. ~Romans 1:6 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ~2 Corinthians 5:17-20 Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus. ~Colossians 3:17 People often think of vocation or calling as a challenge of discovering that one, specific, unique purpose God has for them in their work. And until they discover it, they either agonize over the discovery...
Day 31: Authentic Community Wednesday As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ~1 Peter 2:4-5 As every brick or stone contributes to the integrity of a home, so every living stone serves to support the sacred structure of the church. Pride will cause a stone to stand alone as a monument unto itself. But God’s...
