Humility: Day #37

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Humility: Day #37

45 Days of Prayer

October 16, 2023 • Devotion Leader • James 4:7–10

This is a tough idea to write about, even if it is something we all desperately need. The humblest people anyone might have the chance to meet, often go unnoticed. So much of our church culture and the world around us is dominated by pride, it leaves little to wonder why humility often goes overlooked. We want credit owed us. We want the respect we are due. We want to solve the problem. We often genuinely believe we are the piece that is missing. If we just did something more, if we were better in this one aspect of life, or if we had just a little more money, THEN we would be good.

But, as it turns out, we just end up training our hearts to trust the self and depend on another thing, not the Lord. James is counseling the church to remember what you can trust; it’s not your hands, not your heart, It is the work and power of the person Jesus Christ. So then, in any moment, we must work to submit to God, or not. Sometimes that means shutting our mouth. Sometimes it means speaking up. Always it means acknowledging we are not the hero, we must decrease, and Christ must increase.

Father. May I decrease. May Christ increase. His glory, his power, his wisdom displayed in the lives of the Christians at Adventure Christian Church. May you increase in us, for your name’s sake. We pray in the name of your son Jesus, Amen.

Doing Life Together: Day #45

October 24, 2023 • Devotion Leader • Hebrews 10:25

As Christians, we are called to live in community, to do life together. Community is a beautiful thing, but it’s also messy and requires vulnerability and grace. In our school age years, we are thrown into a group and forced to build community with the guidance of a teacher. As adults, it’s much easier to just keep to ourselves; going to work, paying bills, cooking, and cleaning; Living without any real community. So, the human connection we all crave leaves a mark. However, if we want to have this community and be faithful to our calling, we must learn to create spaces to connect and build community. We must choose to open our schedule, homes, and our lives to invite others in. Doing life together like Jesus requires us to be vulnerable and this is difficult. Yet, some of our greatest blessings in life are the individuals and families with whom we’ve had the courage to build the type of community Jesus demonstrated. This isn’t easy. It takes forgiveness, patience, sacrifice, and old-fashioned grit. Are you doing life together with anyone? Are you open to being vulnerable and allowing others in? Father, thank you for not having to walk through life alone. Thank you for the gift of community and doing life together. Guide us to establish deep friendships and to be willing to be vulnerable enough to do life together., prepare us for a new season of growth and that he would open new doors for Adventure! In Christ name we pray, Amen.

Engaging Our Community: Day #44

October 23, 2023 • Devotion Leader • 2 Corinthians 10:5

So much of the world, the community around us has a ‘been there, done that” attitude toward the church. There is a history there. It is easy to settle into different “camps” of “us” and “them.” Often, we don’t even notice we do it. But Jesus came from heaven in many ways, like an invasion force to break us out of the bonds to slavery. We had no hope, but he found a way. We had no reason to live, but He showed us the truth and made us children of God. We must carry the light and expose the darkness for what it is. We have to take the truth in a way they can understand it. This means we need to know the words they use, how they use them, and why, to know how to best communicate the eternal truths and make the idea’s we follow obedient to Christ. At the same time, we must continue to demonstrate the grace that is in Christ Jesus to those who do not believe. This isn’t easy. It takes time and we must work hard to not be led away by false ideas that may seem pleasant to the heart. We must trust the Spirit to lead us to the truth and obey it wherever it leads us. Father, as we look to the people in our community, help us to find ways to understand how to communicate best the truths you preserved in your scripture. Give us the grace to live what we believe, so that the world can see no hypocrisy in us. Father, we pray that our servant hearts demonstrate the engagement we seek with our minds. We pray this in Christ name, Amen.

Following God's Word: Day #43

October 22, 2023 • Devotion Leader • John 17:16–19

What we have when we read the Bible is truly remarkable. Scripture has power in them to cultivate a heart that is soft and malleable in God’s hand. They can sharpen the mind of those who meditate on them. Following the words of scripture is more than just mimicking the behaviors we see there, recognizing habits, passions, virtues and purposes. Then, in turn, making them a part of who we are and what we do. Jesus knew the power words have on our lives. Words can be spoken in anger or in joy and have an impact on the lives of grandchildren’s children. What words are you speaking into your life? What words do you meditate on in the evening and in the quiet? What words are blaring mindlessly in your ears from the radio when you work? All of these words can have an effect on our lives, for good or evil. Let us give attention to what we put on our heart, and see what happens when we let Scripture frame what we put on our hearts and minds. Heavenly Father, we look to your word for our hope and training. It is by your words that we live, this we acknowledge. Help us to make the words we allow to influence our life be Your word. May it wash over our hearts and guide our minds. May the thoughts and meditations of our heart and mind be pleasing to you, Lord, in Jesus’ name I pray – Amen.