Refuel Devotions
used by permission of First 15 Ministry
Sunday, October 9 | God's Plan for Renewal
October 9, 2022
INTRO May God teach and guide us into daily renewal as we make space every day in preparation for His filling leading up to and beyond Refuel October 16-19. DEVOTION- God has an incredible plan for renewal in your life. He knows better than anyone the trials, circumstances, and people that wear you down. And He knows that you need time to be refreshed by him. Often, we seek rest and renewal from people and entertainment. Our friends, family, and entertainment can be great sources of fun and rest to be sure, but the only consistent and true source of renewal we have is spending time with our heavenly Father. Only He knows to the full extent what you need. And only He can give it to you. So, before we dive into the process of having specific areas of our lives renewed by God this week, let’s allow Him to simply reveal how to rest in His word and presence. First, let’s look at what Scripture says about our need for renewal. 2 Corinthians 4:16 says, “Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” Because of the nature of sin and separation from God, we as humans will not live in our fleshly bodies forever. Genesis 3:19 says, “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” But we also have the promise of Jesus in John 11:26 that “everyone who lives and believes in [him] shall never die.” We live on the earth knowing one day our earthly bodies will pass away, and we will at the same time be taken from this world to the next. But God’s desire is that while you are here in this body you would be renewed in your spirit every day. Though your body will grow weary, He desires to strengthen your spirit with the hope of an everlasting life with an all-loving God who cares for you. You can meet with God every day. You’ve been given the ability through the Spirit to rest in God’s presence, to know his nearness and love. You can have the same experience as Paul in being “renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). So, how can we experience God’s promised renewal? How do we rest in God’s presence and allow Him to revive us? First, it starts with trusting that God will reveal His love to you when you meet with Him. In Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17, He asks God to love us with the same love with which He loves Jesus (John 17:26). When you ask Him to show you His love, He will. When you make space to encounter Him, He will fill you with His presence. Trust that God loves to meet with you and renew you. Also, foundational to experiencing renewal is engaging in worship. You and I are created to worship. It is both our highest goal and greatest success. When you engage in worship daily, you will experience a renewed sense of purpose and direction. Lastly, spend time reading God’s word, allowing it to change you and lead you to obedience. You must experience renewal in areas of your life that are not aligned with God’s word. You have to spend time allowing yourself to be shaped and transformed by what God says is best for you. So much of being renewed by God is choosing to believe His word over our experience of what we feel is true. Let your faith be stirred to encounter your heavenly Father today. You can earnestly desire to meet with Him without any fear or reservation that you won’t experience His renewal. Know that when you wake up every morning, God has a plan for the time you spend with Him and the ability to reveal it to you through the Holy Spirit. God earnestly desires to renew you this week. He longs to heal the wounded and dry places in your life. Spend time today meditating on God’s promise of renewal, and allow your desires to be stirred to receive all that your heavenly Father longs to give you. PRAYER: 1. Meditate on God’s promise for renewal. “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 2. Reflect on areas in your life that seem dry or weary. Where do you need to be renewed today? 3. Rest in God’s presence and allow his love to renew those areas of your life. Spend time in His presence. Spend time worshipping. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you God’s specific plan for renewal in your life. Look up Scripture that applies and let it mold and renew you. “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” 1 John 4:16 AS YOU GO ABOUT YOUR DAY: May the prayer of your heart today be like David’s in Psalm 63:1-3: “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.” Just as David looked upon the Lord in His sanctuary, you can see God daily. Just as he beheld God’s power, glory, and love, you can experience God. May you be renewed today as you step out into the world, and may God’s strength be your source as you seek to live in light of His glorious nearness. Extended Reading: 2 Corinthians 4 .
Monday, October 10 | Renewal of your Mind
October 10, 2022
May God guide each of us down the path to renewing our minds in His presence, and through His word today, that we might experience a greater measure of abundant life in Him. INTRODUCTION In the second day of our series on renewal, today we’re going to invite God to renew our minds. Our minds are the gateway to our emotions, decisions, and perspectives. How we see the world around us, the assumptions we live with, the lies we believe, and where we choose to focus our attention, make all the difference in our daily experience. May God guide each of us down the path to renewing our minds in his presence, and through His word today, that we might experience a greater measure of abundant life in Him. SCRIPTURE “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 DEVOTIONAL The mind is the vehicle in which thoughts and ideas become emotions, beliefs, and actions. You hear things every day that attempt to influence the way you see yourself and your life. Advertising tells you that you are constantly in need of something bigger and better to be happy. People tell you who you are and what you should do based only on their limited perspectives. You also have a very real enemy who hates you, working to convince you that you aren’t worth love, you’re good at nothing, and you’ll never amount to anything. But God, because of His incredible love for you, has given you the Holy Spirit and His word. He’s given you the ability to renew your mind to the truth of how He sees you and feels about you, the truth of who you really are. Every day, you have the chance to experience the much needed renewal of your emotions, perspectives, and beliefs. Every day, God longs to speak the truth of your identity through His word and Spirit. So, let’s look today at the power of renewing our minds and how we can consistently experience that renewal. Romans 12:1-2 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” When we renew our minds we are presenting ourselves as worship to God. You worship God when you choose to believe His word over others’ words. You love God when you trust Him over your feelings and limited perspective. And when you renew your mind, you are conforming no longer to the world, with its destruction and many lies. God puts conforming to the lies of the world and renewing your mind to the truth in stark contrast. Romans 8:5-6 further illustrates the point: “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” When you set your mind on the Spirit, you will begin to experience life in your thoughts. Your way of thinking will be transformed from being negative and destructive to positive and responsive to God’s boundless love and grace. What you choose to trust and believe will impact every area of your life for either good or bad. So in light of the incredible promises of God’s word, how can you experience the fruit of renewing your mind? How can you continually set your mind on the things of the Spirit? First, you have to make time to open your mind and heart to Scripture every day. The best time to experience renewal in your mind is when you first wake up. Every morning, you can lay the foundation for what you will believe and how you will think for the rest of the day. Second, you have to read Scripture while listening to the Holy Spirit. Scripture will come alive when you spend time reading it with the guidance and teaching of the Spirit. In John 14:16-17 Jesus says, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” Spend time allowing your Helper, the Spirit of truth, to reveal the ways in which He desires to apply Scripture to your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to be your Teacher as you read. Third, you have to live in obedience to God’s word. The Bible isn’t merely historical, but a book full of practical and applicable truth that has the ability to change your life. When you open your heart to God’s word and choose to believe it, you will experience transformation. When you obey God’s commands, they will bear incredible fruit in your life. God’s word is meant to direct you to the abundant life he has planned for you. Have faith in the words of Scripture. Choose to believe God’s promises. Last, you must see yourself in light of God’s word. You have the choice to believe God or not. The Bible says incredible things about your identity in Christ: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). The Bible says that you are God’s child, that you are worth the death of Christ and that you are free from the bondage of sin and the world. Those are powerful promises. But in order for you to experience the fullness of what Scripture says, you must renew your way of thinking to be like God’s. Paul says that “we have the mind of Christ” as people born of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:16). So set your mind every day on the things of God. Read Scripture with the help of the Spirit, walk in obedience to God’s word, and see yourself as God does. If you will do these things daily, your entire outlook on life will be one of contentment, joy, purpose, and abundance. Where do you need to renew your mind today? What area of your life seems to be plagued by negativity, insecurity, or anger? Spend time reading God’s word with the Holy Spirit. Receive revelation from the very God who authored the word you’re reading. Meditate on the words that stand out to you, and allow them to change the way you think, feel, and act. Experience renewal today in your way of thinking, and watch as renewing your mind changes your entire day for the better. PRAYER Meditate on the power of renewing your mind. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2 “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3 Reflect on your own life. Where do you need renewal today? What thoughts seem to plague you? Where do you normally feel negative, insecure, or angry? Meditate on a passage of Scripture that seems pertinent to an area of your thinking that needs renewal. Do a web search on a specific topic if you need to. If you’re struggling with a particular sin, meditate on Scripture about freedom. If you struggle with your speech, meditate on a passage about taming the tongue. Wherever you need renewal today, God has a plan to help you. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:5-6 “Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” Colossians 3:10 AS YOU GO TODAY... How great is the love of God that he would give us the incredible gift of his word to mold and shape us! Your heavenly Father loves you too much to let you stay where you are. Every day He has a plan to lead you into more and more abundant life. When you wake up, take a minute to ask yourself what you want your day to be like. What sort of life do you want to live today? Then ask the Spirit to help you renew your mind to God’s truth so you can live that life. Walk in freedom today. Live with your mind set on the Spirit. And experience the incredible life God has planned for you as His child. You’ll never have a better day than one where your mind is renewed to the truth of God’s unfathomable love.
Tuesday, October 11 | Renewal of your First Love
October 11, 2022
INTRO In our third devotional on seeking renewal from our good and loving God, today we’re going to look at what it means to have a renewal of our first love. What, who we love first, makes all the difference in how we spend our days, and how we spend our moments. And unless God is our first love, the One we’re giving all of our hearts to, life will always feel out of balance, and lacking the fullness of fulfillment. May God guide us to a deeper love of Him today as we open our hearts and hands to meet with Him. SCRIPTURE “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.” Revelation 2:4 DEVOTIONAL Out of God’s great desire to be truly loved by His people, we have been given the gift of free will to choose who and what we will give our affections to. God, knowing full well that not all of us would choose to love Him, still created us out of His longing for close relationship with us. You see, so great is our heavenly Father’s desire for relationship with us that He suffers as He watches his children choose to love people, ideas, and possessions that will never fully love us in return. So great is His love for us that He responds to our sin of idolatry with grace and mercy every single time. And so vast is His affection for us that He sent his only Son so that we might be restored to close relationship with our heavenly Father once again. But still, we choose to love things other than God. Still we seek out satisfaction and love from creation rather than the Creator. Still we choose to place our hope and affections in the world instead of in God. If we are to live the life God intends for us, the only fulfilling life possible, we need a renewal of our first love. Thousands of years ago, the church in Ephesus was much like we are today. Revelation 2:4 says in reference to the church in Ephesus, “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.” The Ephesians were still working and waiting for God. They hadn’t abandoned their faith, just their first love. But Scripture makes it clear that when it comes down to it in the end, what will be most important is the way in which we have loved God. When asked what the most important commandment was, Jesus replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27). Loving God is our first priority. Our love for God is the foundation on which all of life is to be lived. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 says, “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” This life is all about the posture of your heart. Reflect for a minute on just how incredible the love of our God is. Scripture makes it clear that He isn’t after our service first, but our love. He only desires us to work with Him if it is done out of our love for Him. If we prophesy, show incredible acts of faith, or even give up our lives for Him out of anything but love, He calls it “a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” God is after your heart. More than anything else in the world, He wants to love you and be loved by you. Of course He wants you to co-labor with Him and obey his commandments, but only out of love for Him. Yes, he wants you to lead others to Him, but out of the desire to share the incredible love you’ve been shown. Too often we size up our relationship with God based on how often we’ve gone to church, how many mission trips we’ve been on, how many people we’ve won to Jesus, how many committees we’ve served on, or how much of our finances we’ve given to God. And too often we do all of that trying to win over a God who already loves us more than we could ever ask or imagine. God is the father in the prodigal son story running out to meet you and celebrate you regardless of anything you’ve ever done or will do. He’s the Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one. He’s the God who leaves his throne to die for the very people who shouted, “Crucify him, crucify him!” And He’s the God who waits patiently every day to show you the depth of His love, that nothing you could ever do will change the way He loves you. Nothing could be more important than living your life on the foundation of God’s greatest commandment: to love Him. And while it’s incredibly important to spend your life loving God, He knows you will only be able to do so if you’ve encountered his love first. 1 John 4:19 says, “We love because he first loved us.” Experiencing God’s love is the beginning and end to everything we do as his children. It’s out of encountering the affections of our heavenly Father that our hearts will be stirred to love Him back. Let’s take time today to encounter the love of our heavenly Father and let his kindness draw us to repentance (Romans 2:4). Encounter the heart of God, and let His love renew within you your first love. PRAYER Meditate on God’s love for you as revealed in his word. Receive his presence. Let him speak his love straight to your heart. “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39 Reflect on your own life. Where do you seem to chase after the affections of the world before God? What idols are in your own heart? Who or what do you love more than God? “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.” Revelation 2:4 Ask the Lord to heal those places of your heart. Be drawn to repentance from God’s kindness. Repent to Him the places where you’ve idolized someone or something. Receive the healing that happens when you confess your sins. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 AS YOU GO: The Bible is clear that God will always forgive our sins as believers. His heart is always for restoration. He always desires to lead us to a life where our hearts are in no way veiled before Him. Idols and sin tie us down to the world in ways that keep us from the fullness of relationship available in God. Engage in the act of confession. Spend time consistently giving your sin over to God, and receive the healing and renewal He longs to bring you. May your day be filled with peace as the result of God’s forgiveness, nearness, and loving-kindness.
Wednesday, October 12 | Renewal of Joy
October 12, 2022
INTRO In the middle of this week-long series on renewal, today we’re going to make room for God to renew our joy. Joy is something I so often struggle to walk in as I allow the cares and burdens of life to weigh me down. But every morning is a new opportunity to come before our Father, give our cares over to him, and choose again the path of joy. May God guide us today into a meaningful renewal of joy as we set our eyes and hearts on him. SCRIPTURE “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12 DEVOTIONAL When I think of the word “joy” I often picture the unadulterated smile of a child’s face. Children have this ability to have joy simply because they’ve found the delight of their parents. The joy of a child is unlike anything most of us experience as we grow up. For most of us, true joy has been crowded out by the pressures and cares of responsibility. Joy becomes contingent upon the circumstances of our lives. Most of us feel the pressure of finances, work, relationships, and even serving God consistently to the point that joy is a pursuit we’ve almost given up on. But God has a message and a plan for you for a renewal of consistent and unshakable joy. Let’s open our hearts and minds to dive into everything God has in store for us as we spend time encountering his desire to bring us joy. Our joy is not to be of this world, but of God. Psalm 16:11 says, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” The fullness of joy will only be found in God’s presence, and the Bible tells us that God’s presence is everywhere! Psalm 139:7-10 says, “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” Because God is everywhere and in his presence is fullness of joy, joy is available to you 24/7. And Scripture teaches us in Romans 14:17 that “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” God’s lordship in our lives is all about “righteousness and peace and joy.” Our heavenly Father desires to bring about those incredible fruits of the Spirit in you today. He has a plan to lead you to perfect, unshakable joy. But in order to receive the incredible gift your God wants to give you today, you will have to make a choice to place your hope and trust in him. Scripture tells us that our joy is to be wholeheartedly found in God and not in the world. The joy our heavenly Father longs to bring us is meant to transcend anything this world could ever do to us. But in order for God’s desire to come to fruition in our lives, we have to place our hope and trust solely in him. Psalm 33:21 says, “Our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.” Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” What we place our trust and belief in becomes the rudder that guides our emotions. If you place your trust in your job, people, or finances, you are building a foundation for your joy that can be crushed at a moment’s notice. But if you will choose today to place your trust and hope in your Lord Jesus Christ, you will have a sure foundation unshakable by any trial or circumstance that comes your way. In fact, those very trials that had the power to destroy your joy will, in God, become yet another source of it. James 1:2-4 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” When you place your hope and trust in God, your eyes will be opened to see the incredible work he is doing in you through any and every circumstance. Whether you have success in this life or not, you will have joy because your life will be wholly lived with your relationship with God as first priority. When your goal is to see God’s kingdom come to earth, the circumstances of your job and relationships won’t have the power to shake your joy and satisfaction any longer. You see, God’s plan to is to redeem your life totally and completely. God’s plan is to renew your joy every morning as you place your hope and trust in him alone. Spend time today with your heavenly Father doing that very thing. Reflect on your life and see what has had the ability to shake your joy. May your joy become like that of a child’s today, who simply delights in the love of the Father. “May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,” Colossians 1:11 PRAYER 1. Meditate on the joy God has in store for those who place their trust in him. “For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.” Psalm 33:21 “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11 2. Reflect on your own life. What has the power to steal your joy? Where have you been placing your trust and hope? 3. Place your hope and trust in your heavenly Father today. Choose to give him your heart instead of the world. Make your relationship with him first priority. “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Proverbs 17:22 AS YOU GO: How incredible is the heart of our God that he would consistently and constantly bring us joy! Your God has such a love for you that he never wants you to go a day without it. He never wants you to have a moment without his unshakable joy. Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” Experience the abundant life your God has in store for you as you live your life in a wholehearted pursuit of the joy of your good and present heavenly Father.
Thursday, October 13 | Renewal of Purpose
October 13, 2022
INTRO In today’s devotional, we’re going to invite God to renew within us a true sense of purpose. Throughout the day I find my heart wandering to all sorts of purposes, some good, and some bad. But every day life teaches me that the one purpose that leads to the greatest measure of life and joy, is the pursuit of God. Not the pursuit of religion, but the authentic pursuit of relationship. May the Holy Spirit reveal within us the true reason we were created, and guide us down the path of purpose today in his presence. SCRIPTURE “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” John 15:16 DEVOTIONAL You and I were born with a deep desire to live with purpose. As children, we dream of doing something significant with our lives. We dream of being a person who makes a difference in the world. Inherent in all of us is a longing to make a deep and lasting impact. Our longing for purpose only becomes a problem as we begin seeking out its source. Most of us live our lives in constant pursuit of finding out why we’re here, seeking the answer to the question: “What am I uniquely made for?” And we look for the answers in all the wrong places. We look for our purpose in each other, in the ever-changing whims of society, or internally, in what seems to make us feel good in the moment. But God has a better purpose for our lives than we could ever find in the world. He has a purpose so great, so powerful, and so lasting that when we get a glimpse of it, we will forever be changed. God has a page in his grand narrative written just for you, to use you to make a unique and eternal impact on the earth. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Let us not miss the importance of what God would reveal to us today because we’ve heard something before. Instead, let’s dive in deeper and see what God’s word would reveal to us about that purpose. In John 15:16 Jesus says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” You are chosen by God. You aren’t secondary to someone else in God’s kingdom. He has formed you and chosen you to “go and bear fruit.” And Jesus desires that our fruit would “abide.” He has chosen you to make a lasting impact on the earth. So, what lasting fruit does God intend for you here? Answering this question should start with the words of Jesus. Allow God’s commandments to lay the defining foundation of your purpose. In response to the question of what the greatest commandment is, Jesus replies, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31). Your purpose here on earth is to love God and love others. God has chosen to use love to bring about salvation. He’s chosen to use love as the catalyst for spiritual awakening. It’s love that is God’s driving force, and it’s love that he longs to instill in us as our highest goal. Understand today that you are formed and called to love above all else. Scripture also tells us that we have been chosen to be carriers and ministers of the kingdom of God. Jesus said in Mark 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” God’s kingdom is here on earth. And Revelation 5:10 says, “You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” We are not purposed to merely suffer and wait for heaven. God’s kingdom is here on earth, and we are his workmanship. We are his priests. Acts 26:16 says, “Rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you.” Matthew 28:19 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Your life here is of eternal value. A life spent simply waiting for heaven is a life wasted. God has placed an eternal purpose on your life, a purpose meant to be pursued and lived out every minute of every day. You don’t have time to waste. And the compelling truth is, you will never be satisfied until you devote your life to ministering this incredible gospel of restoration and love. Until you pursue seeing God’s kingdom come through your job, relationships, and time, you will never experience the joy and passion only God’s purpose can bring you. God doesn’t have a cookie-cutter mold he tries to fit all believers into. He’s formed you for a specific and unique purpose no other believer will be able to accomplish. His plans for you are your own and no other’s. So choose today to live your life for your heavenly Father. Work with him in all that you do. Love him and others with every fiber of your being. And experience the joy of making a deep, eternal impact with all that you do. May God renew your sense of purpose today as you enter into a time of guided prayer. PRAYER 1. Meditate on God’s desire to use you for an incredible purpose. “And you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:10 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” John 15:16 2. Reflect on your own life for a moment. In what ways have you been living out of a purpose other than God’s? Confess those sins to your loving heavenly Father. Let his forgiveness transform your heart. 3. Now commit your life to God’s plan and purpose. Choose to love with all you have today. Line up your heart with God’s word, and pursue the life he has in store for you. Give him your job, your family, and finances. Ask him how he would have you use them. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you.” Acts 26:16 AS YOU GO What will God say about your life when you get finished here? Will your life have been spent in pursuit of him and his kingdom or in building up a small kingdom here that will pass away like the changing of seasons? Will your life be of fleeting or eternal impact? Only you can choose how you will live your life. May you make the choice today and every day to live the only life that truly matters. God has incredible plans and purposes in store for you if you will simply open your heart and your hands to him and say, “Use me.”
Friday, October 14 | Renewal of Conscience
October 14, 2022
INTRO As we near the end of our week-long series on renewal, today we’re going to invite God to bring a renewal of conscience to our hearts and mind. That our perspectives and beliefs about ourselves would be washed clean in God’s mercy and grace. May God empower us to see ourselves the way he does as we spend meaningful time in his presence today. SCRIPTURE “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10:22 DEVOTIONAL Our conscience is a window revealing how we view ourselves and, most importantly, our relationship with God. One of the worst effects sin has is distorting our view of ourselves in relation to God. The devil’s plan with sin was always to separate us from God, so Jesus came to the earth to destroy the power of sin in our lives. He came so that we might have restored relationship with our heavenly Father. But still sin persists. Even though the power of sin was broken, its effects destroyed, we often still live with an unclean conscience. We feel that God is angry with us, that he doesn’t want to be with us, or that we can’t come before him and sit at his feet. Your conscience affects your relationship with God either negatively or positively. It will either lead you to God’s throne room or away from his presence. Your heavenly Father’s desire today is that you would come to see yourself as he does, that your conscience would be wiped clean, and that sin and lies would separate you from him no longer. Hebrews 10:19-23 contains an important truth for us today. Scripture says: Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Let the truth of Scripture sink into your heart. Hebrews tells us that our confidence to come before God is found in the blood of Jesus. Through his death, Jesus paved the way for you to come before the throne of God with confidence and full assurance of faith. God’s desire today is that your conscience would be “sprinkled clean” with the powerful blood of your Savior. So, let’s dive even deeper into how God sees us today. Let the truth of his word further mold your identity until it is perfectly aligned with his perspective. Galatians 3:26-28 says, “For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:20 says, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:5 says, “For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.” 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” And Colossians 1:21-22 says, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.” Your heavenly Father sees you as he sees Jesus. Many Christians believe that while they are clothed with Christ, they’re still dirty and sinful on the inside. But don’t be deceived today. At salvation you were made completely new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” God didn’t trick himself with the death of Jesus. He sees you completely. And when he looks at you, he sees the blood of Jesus running through your veins. He sees you as his clean and holy child. Through the death of Jesus, you can see God with unveiled face. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 says, “But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” You can see and know God freely and fully. In fact, that’s God’s greatest desire. He longs for us to know him. He longs for us to encounter the depth of his love and affections for us every day. Sit at the feet of your loving heavenly Father with the knowledge that there is nothing in the way of you and him. Spend time with him allowing the truth of how he sees you to renew your conscience. May your conscience, renewed in him, lead you freely and consistently to the throne of God. PRAYER 1. Meditate on your new identity in Christ. “For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.” 1 Thessalonians 5:5 “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 2. Reflect on your own conscience. How do you view yourself? Through what lens do you see your relationship with God? Is it one renewed by the blood of Jesus or one inconsistent with his word? 3. Allow God’s truth to clean your conscience today. Come before God boldly, and let him do a work in how you view your identity. “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:19-23 AS YOU GO ABOUT YOUR DAY: Whenever you feel like something is in the way of you and God, take a minute to reflect on your conscience. Ask yourself, “Do I feel worthy to be with God? Is something leading me away from him instead of to him?” Ask the Spirit to renew your conscience in that moment. Spend a minute gaining God’s perspective. Confess whatever sin you committed to God, and allow his forgiveness to draw you near. Nothing could be more important than spending time with your heavenly Father with a clean conscience that you might experience the fullness of his affection for you.
Saturday, October 15 | Renewal of Prespective
October 15, 2022
So may God give us the power and courage to choose then right perspective today, to see the world and our lives through his eyes. INTRO In our last episode of this week on renewal, today we’re looking at what it means to have a renewal of perspective. Lately for me, it seems like the difference between a bad day and a good day is simply just a difference in my perspective. And there’s hardly anything more empowering that realizing that we have the ability to change how we think, to shift our perspective, and therefore change how we feel and how we act. So may God give us the power and courage to choose the right perspective today, to see the world and our lives through his eyes. SCRIPTURE “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:17 DEVOTIONAL This life is like a gust of wind, strong and tangible, but as fleeting as it is real. Tragically, most of us spend the majority of our lives just trying to find out why we’re here. We ask, “What’s our purpose? What’s the point of all this? What’s the meaning of life?” While Scripture is clear that this life is fleeting, God also makes it abundantly clear that what we do with our lives here is of eternal significance. We have incredibly important things to do and little time to do them. So, to truly live life to the fullest as God desires for us, to make the impact we alone can make in this life, we need a clear understanding of how fleeting and important our lives are. We need a renewal of perspective. 1 John 2:17 says, “The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” God has a plan for you and a will for your life. Your abilities, mind, heart, and hands are of incredible importance to him. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Your heavenly Father has works prepared for you that only you can accomplish. He has plans for you that he does not have for anybody else. But he has also given you the ability to lead your own life. Every day you have the choice to surrender your life to the lordship of Jesus and follow the guidance of his Spirit. Or, you can choose to go through life being your own boss, making decisions and plans on your own without his guidance. Only one choice will lead you to a life spent co-laboring with God and making an eternal impact. Only one choice will lead you to the joy and purpose you were created for. Only one choice will assure you at the end of your days that you made a deep and lasting impact with your life. You see, there isn’t enough time to waste any part of your life pursuing the things of the world. There aren’t enough days to spend even a single one building your kingdom instead of God’s. And your life will be measured by the way in which you loved God and others, not by the weight of your possessions, accolades, or status. Jesus commands us in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus illustrates an often missed point here: the value of your life is your heart. God is the Creator of all treasure, of everything beautiful, but his prized possession is your heart. His deepest longing is for your affections. He knows that when you give your heart to the world, to pursuing earthly objectives, you will miss out on the peace and purpose of living your life with a constant eternal perspective. Scripture tells us that though we are here on earth, this is not our home. We are called to live here with urgency, maintaining a renewed perspective of our time. Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15-17, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Will you live your life in light of God’s will for you or your own? Will you surrender your heart to the Lord every day or keep one foot in the world and one foot in the kingdom of God? The choice is entirely up to you. You have both the Holy Spirit and the world vying for your heart. But only God will reward your affections with his own. Only God gave up his life entirely out of his unending devotion and love for you. All you have to do to live fully for God is encounter the love of your heavenly Father each day and live in response to that love by loving him and others. When you are faithful to listen, God is faithful to guide you day to day and season to season. His kingship demands our obedience, and his love stirs our hearts until obedience to him is natural. Experience both the majesty and love of your King today. Let the Holy Spirit lead you to a life of radical, loving obedience. Allow the Spirit and the word to renew your perspective on the purpose of your life. And choose today to live with eternal perspective by loving your heavenly Father and others. PRAYER 1. Meditate on both the fleeting nature and importance of this life. “Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man! What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?” Psalm 89:47-48 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 2. Reflect on your own life. In what areas have you been pursuing the world instead of God? Where have you chosen to rule your own life? What decisions have you made apart from the leadership of God? Confess those sins to the Lord, and receive his forgiveness. He longs to restore you totally to himself. He will daily forgive your sins and lead you fully to the life he has in store for you. 3. Commit yourself to live for the kingdom of God instead of your own. Pray to the Lord, and tell him your desire to live for his kingdom. Submit your will and live for him instead of yourself. Ask for the help of the Spirit as you go through your day. Listen for his voice and follow his leading as you pray. AS YOU GO TODAY: This life requires a daily process of confession, forgiveness, and commitment. Daily we need to gain fresh perspective on what really matters. Constantly throughout our day we need to remind ourselves of why we were created. Engage in this process, encounter the grace of God as you make mistakes, and live your life pursuing all that God has in store for you. You can never experience the same peace, purpose, and grace-filled love anywhere else as you will living fully surrendered to God. God will never forsake you or reject you. He has only love for you. Choose him over the world today and experience the life you’ve been longing for.