Devotionals For Gulf Coast Community Church
The following devotionals are designed to help you reflect on Sunday sermons, apply the scriptures, and follow Jesus with your lives.
Daily Formation
Week of February 15th
5 Day Devotional
📖 Day 1 — The Longing for a Whole Story
Sermon Quote
“We live in a world that has no story except the story that it has no story.”
Scripture — Romans 1:20 (NIV)
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Reflection
Human beings cannot escape the desire for meaning. Even when someone claims there is no ultimate story, that claim becomes its own story. We long for coherence. We want our lives to fit into something larger than ourselves.
The gospel tells us we are not writing our own isolated scripts. We are part of God’s redemptive story. Creation. Fall. Redemption. Restoration. In Christ, the story makes sense.
Where are you tempted to shrink the story to something smaller, safer, or more manageable? Where have you allowed culture’s “no story” to dull your confidence in God’s story?
Prayer Prompt
Lord, enlarge my vision. Help me see my life inside Your bigger story. Keep me from settling for smaller narratives that cannot sustain hope.
Action Step
Ask one friend this week: “What do you think life is really about?” Listen carefully. Do not correct. Simply listen for the longing beneath the answer.
📖 Day 2 — The Moral Voice Within
Sermon Quote
“We don’t invent the sense of right and wrong we discover it and it judges us.”
Scripture — Romans 2:15 (NIV)
“They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.”
Reflection
Every person has an internal dialogue: “I shouldn’t have done that.” “That’s not right.” That moral voice did not originate in us. It was written into us.
The gospel does not introduce morality into the world. It explains why we fail to live up to what we already know.
Jesus fulfills the law we cannot keep and absorbs the guilt we cannot escape.
Where do you feel the tension between what you know is right and what you actually do? How does the cross speak to that tension?
Prayer Prompt
Jesus, thank You for fulfilling what I could not. Teach me to respond to conviction not with hiding, but with repentance and gratitude.
Action Step
When you hear someone say, “That’s wrong,” gently ask, “Why do you think that?” Listen for the moral echo of God in their answer.
📖 Day 3 — A Hunger for the Divine
Sermon Quote
“When people stop believing in God it’s not that they st believe in nothing They begin to believe in everything.”
Scripture — Psalm 121:1–2 (NIV)
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Reflection
Even in a secular age, spirituality leaks out everywhere. Horoscopes. Manifesting. Energy. Fate. The hunger remains.
We are wired for transcendence.
The question is not whether we worship. The question is what we worship.
Functional gods promise safety, security, and significance. But only the Maker of heaven and earth can sustain those promises.
Where are you tempted to look for help from the mountains instead of the Lord?
Prayer Prompt
Father, expose the substitutes in my heart. Redirect my hunger toward You. Make my trust visible to others.
Action Step
Identify one “functional god” in your life right now. Success? Control? Comfort? Surrender it intentionally in prayer.
📖 Day 4 — A Cry for Rescue
Sermon Quote
“We have a sense everybody does that life is not as it was meant to be Something is wrong.”
Scripture — Romans 8:22–23 (NIV)
Referenced numerically.
Reflection
Cancer. Car accidents. Injustice. Loss. Something in us cries out: “This is not right.”
That cry is universal.
Revenge cannot fix it. Technology cannot erase it. Escape cannot heal it.
The resurrection of Jesus is not a spiritual metaphor. It is the beginning of the new creation. Rescue has already begun.
Where do you feel the groaning of this broken world most deeply? How does the resurrection reshape that pain?
Prayer Prompt
Lord Jesus, thank You that rescue has begun. Help me live as someone who believes restoration is coming.
Action Step
When someone expresses frustration about the world being broken, respond with empathy first. Then gently share how the resurrection gives you hope.
📖 Day 5 — Does My Life Matter?
Sermon Quote
“Does my life matter inside that reality?”
Scripture — 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
Reflection
Materialism reduces us to chemistry. Achievement culture reduces us to performance. Social media reduces us to image.
But Jesus restores purpose.
We were made to bear God’s image. Jesus is the perfect image. In Him, we recover what we were created for.
Meaning is not found in self absorption. It is found in self giving love.
How might God be inviting you to live more intentionally as His image bearer this week?
Prayer Prompt
Holy Spirit, show me where I am chasing meaning instead of living purpose. Make my life a reflection of Christ.
Action Step
Do one intentional act of self giving love today without announcing it. Let purpose shape practice.
🙏 Closing Reflection for the Week
Remember:
“These longings aren’t accidents of evolution They are echoes of the Creator And in Jesus Christ they converge.”
As you interact with neighbors, coworkers, and friends this week, listen for the echoes. The longing for story. The moral tension. The hunger for transcendence. The cry for rescue. The desire for meaning.
The gospel does not force meaning into the world. It reveals what was already there.
And when you listen well, you will find the doorway to speak of Jesus.
Week of February 8th
5 Day Devotional - Is Christianity True?
Day 1
A Disenchanted World 🌍
Sermon Quote
“our focus is beauty goodness and truth for a disenchanted world In other words how do we make Christ known to a world that is really oriented toward disbelief”
Scripture
Psalm 25:4–5 NIV
Reflection
Many people today are not actively hostile to Christianity. They are simply disenchanted. They doubt whether truth can really be known or trusted. Scripture reminds us that truth begins not with argument, but with guidance. We ask God to show us His ways and teach us His paths. Truth is something we are led into as we walk with Him.
Prayer Prompt
Ask God to open your eyes to where disbelief or disillusionment has shaped your thinking. Pray for humility to be taught rather than the need to be right.
Action Step
Notice one place today where cynicism or distrust shows up in your thoughts or conversations. Pause and quietly pray, Lord guide me in Your truth.
Day 2
Truth Is Existential 🧠❤️
Sermon Quote
“This isn't merely a philosophical question but an existential one”
Scripture
John 8:31–32 NIV
Reflection
Jesus does not invite us to simply understand truth. He invites us to remain in His teaching. Truth is not only something to think about but something that shapes how we live. When truth becomes personal, it exposes where we are bound and where we need freedom. Knowing truth means staying close to Jesus and letting His words shape our lives.
Prayer Prompt
Pray honestly about areas where you know Jesus’ teaching but resist living it. Ask for freedom that comes from obedience.
Action Step
Choose one teaching of Jesus you already know well. Practice it intentionally today in a small but concrete way.
Day 3
Beauty as a Doorway 🎨
Sermon Quote
“There are people that can actually find truth by first connecting with the beauty of something”
Scripture
Psalm 19:1–4 NIV
Reflection
God often draws hearts through beauty before clarity comes through words. Creation declares God’s glory without speaking. Beauty awakens desire and invites wonder. For many, truth becomes believable only after it is first seen as good and beautiful. God uses beauty to soften hearts and open minds.
Prayer Prompt
Thank God for ways beauty has drawn you toward Him. Ask Him to make your life a reflection of His goodness and grace.
Action Step
Pay attention to beauty today in nature, art, kindness, or community. Let it lead you to gratitude and worship rather than distraction.
Day 4
Truth Has a Name ✝️
Sermon Quote
“Jesus is not merely the truth in that abstract sense In Jesus the abstract truth puts on flesh It's no longer abstract”
Scripture
John 14:6 NIV
Reflection
Christian truth is not an idea to master but a person to follow. Jesus does not point the way. He is the way. Truth becomes visible in His life, His love, and His obedience to the Father. To know truth is to know Him. And to know Him is to walk as He walked.
Prayer Prompt
Ask Jesus to help you see truth not as information but as relationship. Pray for a deeper trust in who He is.
Action Step
Spend time today reading a Gospel passage slowly. Pay attention not just to what Jesus says but how He lives.
Day 5
Truth Lived Together 👣
Sermon Quote
“Jesus never intended to merely tell us the truth but to teach us to live in the truth He intended that we his followers the Church incarnate the truth before a watching world”
Scripture
Matthew 7:24–27 NIV
Reflection
Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount by calling His followers to practice His words. Truth that is not lived remains unstable. The world is watching not just what Christians believe, but how they live. When the church embodies Jesus’ teaching, truth becomes visible and compelling.
Prayer Prompt
Pray for courage to live the truth of Jesus in visible ways. Ask God to help your life point others toward Him.
Action Step
Identify one relationship where you can embody Jesus’ truth through patience, forgiveness, generosity, or love this week.
Week of February 1st
5 Day Devotional - Is Christianity Beautiful?
🌅 Day 1: Beauty That Awakens Longing
Sermon Quote
“Beauty causes us to long for something and it’s not that we’re longing for what we’re seeing we’re longing for something more even than what we’re seeing.”
Scripture
Psalm 19:1–4 NIV
Reflection
Beauty has a way of waking something up inside us. A sunrise or a storm does not argue or persuade. It invites. Scripture tells us that creation declares God’s glory without words, yet its message reaches every corner of the earth. That quiet declaration stirs longing. Not just for what we see, but for something beyond it. This longing is not accidental. It is a signpost pointing us toward God Himself.
Prayer Prompt
Lord, awaken my sense of wonder again. Help me notice the beauty around me and let it draw my heart toward You rather than stopping with the thing itself.
Action Step
Today, pause with something beautiful. Step outside, notice the sky, or observe something living. Do not rush past it. Let it turn your attention toward God in gratitude.
🌍 Day 2: The Beauty of God’s Character
Sermon Quote
“God’s law is beautiful because God is beautiful.”
Scripture
Psalm 19:7–11 NIV
Reflection
God’s commands are not cold rules imposed from a distance. They flow from who He is. Psalm 19 describes God’s law as perfect, trustworthy, radiant, and pure. These are not merely moral qualities. They are beautiful qualities. God’s character is reliable, life giving, and good. His ways refresh the soul because they reflect His heart.
Prayer Prompt
God, help me see Your commands not as burdens but as gifts. Shape my heart to trust that Your ways are beautiful even when they challenge me.
Action Step
Read Psalm 19 slowly today. Write down one phrase that stands out and reflect on how it reveals something beautiful about God’s character.
✝️ Day 3: The Unexpected Beauty of Jesus
Sermon Quote
“The beauty of Christ is not found in his physical appearance as a man but in his very nature.”
Scripture
Philippians 2:5–11 NIV
Reflection
Jesus does not fit the world’s expectations of beauty or power. He did not grasp status or protect Himself from suffering. Instead, He humbled Himself. The cross itself is not beautiful. But what it reveals is. In Jesus, we see humility, self giving love, and obedience to the Father. This is a beauty that does not dominate but restores.
Prayer Prompt
Jesus, reshape my understanding of beauty. Teach me to admire humility, love, and faithfulness more than power or success.
Action Step
Consider one relationship today where you can reflect Christ’s humility. Choose to serve, listen, or forgive without seeking recognition.
🏺 Day 4: Beauty in Broken People
Sermon Quote
“We have this treasure of God’s glory in jars of clay.”
Scripture
2 Corinthians 4:7–12 NIV
Reflection
The church is not beautiful because it is flawless. It is beautiful because God places His glory in ordinary and fragile people. Like jars of clay, we are marked by weakness, cracks, and limitations. Yet through those cracks, God’s beauty shines. What matters is not the perfection of the vessel but the treasure it carries.
Prayer Prompt
Lord, help me stop hiding my weakness. Use even my broken places to reflect Your beauty and grace to others.
Action Step
Encourage someone today who feels inadequate or overlooked. Speak truth that God’s power is revealed through weakness, not perfection.
🌿 Day 5: A Beautiful Church
Sermon Quote
“Redemption is beautiful and it is the story of the church.”
Scripture
Matthew 5:14–16 NIV
Reflection
The beauty of Christianity becomes visible when God’s people live out redemption together. The church is called to be light in the darkness. Not by perfection, but by obedience, love, and faithfulness. When the beauty of Christ shapes how we live with one another, the world sees something compelling. A community being redeemed becomes a witness to a beautiful God.
Prayer Prompt
Father, make our church a place where Your beauty is visible. Form us into a people whose lives point others toward You.
Action Step
This week, practice one visible act of goodness or mercy in your community. Let your light shine in a way that directs attention to God, not yourself.
Week of January 18th
📖 5 Day Devotional
When Meaning Takes Flesh
Series: Revealing Christ’s Beauty, Goodness, and Truth for a Disenchanted World
🌅 Day 1
Life Comes From God
🗣 Sermon Quote
“Our longing and our desires are not the problem. Our confusion about where life comes from is.”
📜 Scripture
John 1:1–4 NIV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
💭 Reflection
We often treat desire as the enemy. We assume that if we want something deeply, something must be wrong with us. But Scripture tells a different story. Desire itself is not the problem. Desire is a signal. It points somewhere.
John begins his Gospel not with instructions or moral correction but with reality. Life does not originate in effort, achievement, relationships, or control. Life comes from God. Before confusion. Before exhaustion. Before we started trying to justify our existence.
When we look to created things to give us what only God can give, those things collapse under the weight. They were never meant to carry that responsibility. John invites us to return to the source.
Jesus is not an accessory to life. He is life.
🧠 Questions to Consider
Where have I been asking created things to give me life?
What desire in me might actually be pointing me back to God?
What changes when I believe life is received rather than achieved?
🙏 Prayer Prompt
God of life, help me name where I have been confused about the source of life.
Reorient my desires toward you.
Teach me to receive rather than strive.
✅ Action Step
Today, pause before pursuing comfort, distraction, or achievement.
Ask out loud, Where does life actually come from
🌅 Day 2
The Word Became Flesh
🗣 Sermon Quote
“The Word is not an abstract principle. The Word is a person.”
📜 Scripture
John 1:14 NIV
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
💭 Reflection
Christian faith is not about escaping the world. It is about God entering it. The Word did not remain distant, theoretical, or abstract. The Word became flesh.
This means God meets us in the ordinary. In bodies. In limitations. In suffering. In confusion. In joy. Meaning does not float above real life. Meaning takes on skin.
Jesus does not simply point to truth. He embodies it. He does not merely describe life. He lives it in front of us.
When God wanted to show us what life truly looks like, He did not send a philosophy. He sent His Son.
🧠 Questions to Consider
Where do I keep faith abstract instead of embodied?
How does Jesus entering flesh change how I see ordinary life?
What does it mean that God dwells with us, not away from us?
🙏 Prayer Prompt
Jesus, thank you for coming near.
Thank you for entering the mess and weight of human life.
Help me see you present in my ordinary moments today.
✅ Action Step
Practice attentiveness today.
Notice where God may already be near rather than where you wish He would be.
🌅 Day 3
Desire Points Somewhere
🗣 Sermon Quote
“Longing is evidence of design.”
📜 Scripture
Psalm 42:1–2 NIV
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
💭 Reflection
Longing is not a defect. It is a clue. We desire because we were made for life that comes from God.
Our culture often tells us to silence longing or satisfy it as quickly as possible. Scripture tells us to listen to it. Desire reveals what we were made for. It points beyond itself.
Jesus does not arrive to shut desire down. He arrives to show us what desire was always reaching for. When we misdirect longing, it does not disappear. It intensifies.
God invites us to bring our desires into His presence instead of managing them alone.
🧠 Questions to Consider
What longing feels strongest in me right now?
How have I tried to satisfy it apart from God?
What might God be revealing through this desire?
🙏 Prayer Prompt
God, I bring my desires to you honestly.
Where they have been misdirected, gently realign them.
Teach me to trust you with what I want most.
✅ Action Step
Write down one desire you often suppress or rush to satisfy.
Offer it to God without trying to fix it.
🌅 Day 4
Receiving Not Proving
🗣 Sermon Quote
“Re enchantment begins by receiving life not proving worth.”
📖 Scripture Reference
John 1:12–13 NIV
💭 Reflection
Much of our exhaustion comes from trying to prove that our lives matter. We measure ourselves by productivity, faithfulness, usefulness, or spiritual intensity. Even in the church, it is easy to drift into earning language without realizing it.
John tells us that becoming a child of God is not the result of effort, decision, heritage, or performance. It is something received. Life with God begins not with striving but with surrender.
Re enchantment does not start when we finally get our lives together. It starts when we open our hands. Jesus offers life as a gift, not as a reward for spiritual success.
Receiving means letting go of the need to justify yourself. It means trusting that your place in God’s family rests on Jesus, not on you.
🧠 Questions to Consider
Where do I feel pressure to prove my worth to God or others?
How does receiving challenge my habits of control?
What would change if I truly believed I am already a child of God?
🙏 Prayer Prompt
God, I confess how often I try to earn what you freely give.
Teach me to receive your life with humility and trust.
Quiet the voices that tell me I must prove myself.
✅ Action Step
Practice a moment of stillness today without accomplishing anything.
Simply sit and receive God’s presence without justification.
🌅 Day 5
Life Made Visible
🗣 Sermon Quote
“The church exists to make life with God imaginable again.”
📖 Scripture Reference
John 20:21
Matthew 5:14–16 NIV
💭 Reflection
The life Jesus gives does not stop with us. It moves outward. After His resurrection, Jesus sends His followers into the world as bearers of the same life they have received.
The church is not an institution designed to impress. It is a community shaped by life from God. When people encounter patience instead of hostility, forgiveness instead of retaliation, generosity instead of self protection, they begin to see that another way of living is possible.
Re enchantment happens when ordinary people live from an extraordinary source. The church becomes credible when life with God becomes visible in love, humility, mercy, and faithfulness.
You are not sent to manufacture meaning. You are sent to embody it.
🧠 Questions to Consider
How might the life of Jesus become visible through my everyday relationships?
Where is God inviting me to reflect His life this week?
How does community help make life with God believable?
🙏 Prayer Prompt
Jesus, thank you for sharing your life with me.
Send me into the places you have already prepared.
Make your life visible through my words and actions.
✅ Action Step
Choose one intentional act of grace today.
Let it be simple, unseen, and offered without expectation.
Week of January 11th
5 Day Devotional
Great News in an Age of Doubt and Meaninglessness (Part 2 of "Revealing Christ" Series)
Series: Revealing Christ’s Beauty, Goodness, and Truth for a Disenchanted World
🌅 Day 1
Light That Only God Can Ignite
Sermon Quote
“The solution isn’t to shout louder into the darkness—but to bear faithful witness until God says again, ‘Let light shine out of darkness.’”
Scripture
2 Corinthians 4:3–6 NIV
Reflection
The gospel is not ineffective. Paul tells us the issue is not a lack of truth but a lack of sight. This frees us from pressure. We do not manufacture light. We do not argue people into seeing. We bear witness faithfully and trust God to do what only He can do. God still speaks light into darkness, and He chooses to do so through ordinary people whose lives quietly reflect Christ.
Prayer Prompt
Lord, release me from striving and fear. Help me trust You with what I cannot control. Make my life a faithful witness to the light of Christ.
Action Step
Pray today for one person by name who does not know Jesus. Ask God to shine His light into their heart.
🌄 Day 2
Meaning Makers in a Disenchanted World
Sermon Quote
“Meaning making is a spiritual defense mechanism—a way to protect oneself from the hopelessness inherent in a world without God.”
Scripture
Romans 1:18–25 NIV
Reflection
Human beings cannot live without meaning. When people suppress the truth about God, they must anchor their lives somewhere else. Careers, relationships, pleasure, identity, or the moment itself become substitutes for God. These pursuits are not random. They reveal deep longing. Understanding this helps us move from judgment to compassion as we see our neighbors not as enemies but as seekers trying to survive in a world stripped of transcendence.
Prayer Prompt
Father, help me see people the way You see them. Give me compassion instead of contempt. Teach me to listen for where others are finding meaning.
Action Step
Notice today where someone around you seems to be finding meaning. Pray silently for them without correcting or confronting.
🌇 Day 3
Faithful Messengers Matter
Sermon Quote
“The first apologetic or defense of the faith is the visible one of our lives, not the spoken one.”
Scripture
1 Peter 3:8–16 NIV
Reflection
Scripture never separates the message from the messenger. Before people ask for reasons, they notice lives. Gentleness, humility, patience, and integrity prepare the ground for truth. Our lives either open doors or reinforce resistance. God restores current to dead sockets not only through words but through embodied hope that looks like Jesus.
Prayer Prompt
Lord, shape my character to reflect Christ. Let my life make room for questions about hope and faith.
Action Step
Choose one interaction today to intentionally practice patience, humility, or kindness.
🌆 Day 4
The Manner of Our Witness
Sermon Quote
“One surefire way of making sure people don’t listen to the Gospel is to present it arrogantly.”
Scripture
1 Peter 3:15 NIV
Reflection
In a polarized culture, tone often speaks louder than truth. Scripture calls us to gentleness and respect, not compromise or silence. A humble manner disarms fear and invites curiosity. When we respond without arrogance, we mirror Christ Himself. The way we speak reveals whether we trust the Spirit or ourselves.
Prayer Prompt
Jesus, guard my heart from pride. Teach me to speak with humility, patience, and respect.
Action Step
Pause before responding in a difficult conversation today. Ask God to shape your tone before your words.
🌃 Day 5
Treasure in Jars of Clay
Sermon Quote
“Sometimes I think the Gospel is veiled because it isn’t being displayed by us.”
Scripture
2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV
Reflection
God places His treasure in fragile containers so that His power is unmistakable. We are not impressive vessels. We are available ones. When our lives reflect Christ, the light shines clearly through the cracks. The Spirit has been poured out. God’s law is written on our hearts. Faithful presence is enough.
Prayer Prompt
Holy Spirit, fill me again. Help me trust that You work through weakness and ordinary obedience.
Action Step
Intentionally bless one neighbor this week through generosity, encouragement, or service.
Week of January 4th
5 Day Devotional
Locating Ourselves in Christ’s Mission
Series: Revealing Christ’s Beauty, Goodness, and Truth for a Disenchanted World
Day 1: The Mission Is Not Ours
📍 Locating Ourselves in Christ’s Mission
Sermon Quote
“We do not wanna be doing our own mission we wanna be doing your mission.”
Scripture
Acts 1:3 NIV
“After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.”
Reflection
The risen Jesus had limited time with his disciples before his ascension. Luke tells us exactly what Jesus chose to speak about during those forty days: the kingdom of God. Not strategies. Not personal fulfillment. Not religious maintenance. The mission of the church begins with submission to the reign of King Jesus.
The sermon reminds us that the danger for the church is not abandoning mission but subtly replacing God’s mission with our own. When mission becomes about our preferences, our survival, or our success, we lose our bearings. Faithful ministry begins by locating ourselves inside what Jesus is already doing.
Questions to Consider
Where have you been tempted to treat the mission as something you own or control?
How does Jesus speaking about the kingdom reshape what you think Christian mission is?
Prayer Prompt
Lord Jesus, reorient my heart. Free me from trying to build my own mission. Teach me to recognize and join the work you are already doing in the world.
Action Step
Spend ten minutes today asking one question in prayer: Jesus, where are you already at work around me and how can I join you
Day 2: A Compass That Is Only Two Degrees Off
🧭 The Danger of Misorientation
Sermon Quote
“If our missional compass is off by a mere two degrees things may look good for a long time but spiritually it will end like the Monroe’s mission.”
Scripture
Proverbs 14:12 NIV
“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”
Reflection
The sermon’s story of the Monroe reminds us that small errors in orientation can have devastating consequences. In the same way, the church can drift into patterns that seem faithful, effective, or familiar while slowly moving away from Christ’s actual mission.
Misalignment does not always announce itself with obvious failure. Often it comes wrapped in good intentions and accepted practices. The question is not whether something works, but whether it is faithful to the direction Jesus has set.
Questions to Consider
Where might your understanding of mission have shifted subtly over time?
What practices feel normal but may need to be examined more carefully?
Prayer Prompt
Holy Spirit, search me. Reveal any ways my thinking about the mission has drifted. Realign my heart with the way of Jesus.
Action Step
Write down one belief you hold about mission or church life. Compare it carefully with Acts 1 and ask whether it truly comes from Jesus.
Day 3: The Kingdom and the Power to Witness
🔥 The Means Jesus Appoints
Sermon Quote
“The means that Jesus appointed for the restoration of the kingdom is that his followers by the power of the Holy Spirit will have opportunities to see his righteousness justice and peace established on the earth.”
Scripture
Acts 1:8 NIV
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Reflection
Jesus does not tell his disciples when the kingdom will be restored. He tells them how. The restoration of God’s reign happens through Spirit empowered witness. Witness is not merely speaking words but embodying the reign of Christ through lives marked by justice, peace, and righteousness.
The sermon presses us to remember that the kingdom advances not through political force or cultural dominance, but through Spirit shaped lives that testify to Jesus as Lord.
Questions to Consider
How do you tend to think about power when it comes to making change?
What would it look like to trust the Holy Spirit more deeply in your daily witness?
Prayer Prompt
Spirit of God, fill me with your power. Teach me how to bear witness to Jesus not only with my words but with my life.
Action Step
Identify one place today where you can intentionally reflect Christ’s peace or justice through a simple faithful act.
Day 4: From Jerusalem to the Ends of the Earth
🗺️ Reading the Map of Acts
Sermon Quote
“Luke draws a map of the mission of the church from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.”
Scripture
Isaiah 49:6 NIV
“I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
Reflection
Acts is not a random collection of stories. It traces the movement of the gospel outward from Jerusalem to Rome. This movement shows that the kingdom of God is not confined to one people, place, or culture. God’s reign is expansive, crossing boundaries and redefining who belongs.
The sermon reminds us that understanding the map of Acts helps us understand our place in God’s story. The gospel has reached us because the mission has advanced exactly as Jesus said it would.
Questions to Consider
How does seeing Acts as a unified mission story change how you read it?
What boundaries has the gospel crossed to reach you?
Prayer Prompt
God of the nations, thank you for your faithfulness in carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth. Help me to live gratefully and faithfully within this story.
Action Step
Thank God today for one person or community through whom the gospel reached your life.
Day 5: We Are at the Ends of the Earth
🌍 Bearing Witness Where We Are
Sermon Quote
“We are not living in our own Jerusalems. We are living at the ends of the earth.”
Scripture
Acts 27:25 NIV
“So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.”
Reflection
The sermon challenges a common assumption that mission happens somewhere else. According to Acts, the church today lives at the ends of the earth. This means faithfulness is not waiting to be sent but recognizing that we are already sent.
Like Paul’s journey to Rome, our participation in Christ’s mission often includes hardship, resistance, and uncertainty. Yet the success of Christ’s mission is already evident in our very existence as his people.
Questions to Consider
How might your view of everyday faithfulness change if you see yourself on the front lines of mission?
Where has God already placed you to bear witness?
Prayer Prompt
Lord Jesus, give me courage to bear faithful witness where you have placed me. Help me trust that your mission is advancing even when the winds are against me.
Action Step
Identify one relationship or space this week where you can intentionally live as a witness to Christ’s reign.
Week of December 21
Love Goes Small
A 5 Day Advent Devotional
Advent 2025 Part 4
Day 1
God’s Love Revealed Through Smallness
Sermon Quote
“In Western culture we often assume small means insignificant.”
Scripture Luke 2:6–7 NIV
“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
Reflection
The incarnation confronts our assumptions about significance. God does not reveal His love through domination, spectacle, or scale, but through humility and nearness. The manger is not an unfortunate accident. It is a theological statement.
In Jesus, God does not remain distant or abstract. He enters history as vulnerable flesh. Divine love chooses obscurity. The God who created all things makes Himself dependent on Mary’s care. This is not weakness forced upon Him. It is love freely chosen.
To say that love goes small is to say that God’s love is not impressed with size, speed, or applause. It values presence over prominence and faithfulness over visibility.
Questions to Consider
What assumptions do I hold about what makes a life or ministry significant?
Where am I tempted to overlook small acts of obedience?
How does the manger reshape my understanding of God’s love?
Prayer Prompt
Lord Jesus, help me receive Your love as it truly is, humble, near, and freely given. Teach me not to despise small beginnings.
Action Step
Today, choose one unnoticed act of faithfulness and offer it to God without seeking recognition.
Day 2
Love That Chooses the Lowest Place
Sermon Quote
“God becoming small was not a necessary inconvenience but an intentional way to love.”
Scripture Philippians 2:6–8 NIV
“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.”
Reflection
The incarnation does not end at Bethlehem. It moves steadily toward the cross. Jesus does not simply become human. He becomes a servant. He chooses obedience. He chooses death.
This is love defined not by emotion but by self giving faithfulness. Jesus does not grasp power even though it belongs to Him. He releases it for the sake of others.
The downward movement of Christ reveals the shape of divine love. God’s love does not climb over others. It descends beneath them.
Questions to Consider
Where do I resist taking the lower place?
How does Jesus redefine strength and authority?
What would obedience look like for me right now?
Prayer Prompt
Jesus, You did not cling to Your rights but poured Yourself out. Form in me the same humility and obedience.
Action Step
Intentionally defer today. Let someone else go first without resentment.
Day 3
Love That Remains Small
Sermon Quote
“Going big would distort our understanding of His kingdom.”
Scripture John 6:15 NIV
“Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.”
Reflection
Jesus resists the pressure to become what the crowd wants Him to be. He does not confuse popularity with faithfulness. He refuses a kingdom built on force, spectacle, or coercion.
Remaining small is not a failure of ambition. It is fidelity to the Father’s will. Jesus does not expand His influence by lowering the cost of discipleship. He often does the opposite.
The kingdom of God grows quietly, slowly, and faithfully. It is not measured by crowds but by transformed lives.
Questions to Consider
Where am I tempted to confuse success with faithfulness?
What voices shape my understanding of effectiveness?
How does Jesus’ restraint challenge my instincts?
Prayer Prompt
Father, teach me to trust Your ways rather than the pressure to produce visible results.
Action Step
Resist the urge to exaggerate or promote yourself today. Practice quiet faithfulness.
Day 4
Love That Shapes the Church ❤️
Sermon Quote
“If our doctrine really, truly is sound, we will love one another.”
Scripture John 13:34–35 NIV
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Reflection
Jesus ties the credibility of Christian witness to love within the community. The church does not exist to impress the world but to embody the life of Christ together.
Doctrine matters. Truth matters. But truth that does not produce love has missed its purpose. Love is not an accessory to theology. It is its fruit.
The church becomes visible to the world not through perfection but through practiced love among imperfect people.
Questions to Consider
How do my relationships within the church reflect Christ?
Where have I prioritized being right over being loving?
What would repentance look like relationally?
Prayer Prompt
Holy Spirit, make our church a living witness to the love of Christ through our life together.
Action Step
Reach out to someone in your church you have avoided or overlooked.
Day 5
Love That Becomes Our Witness 🌍
Sermon Quote
“The world will know we are His disciples if we love one another.”
Scripture 1 John 4:11–12 NIV
“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.”
Reflection
The invisible God becomes visible through a loving people. Love does not replace proclamation, but it makes proclamation believable.
God’s love is made complete not in isolation but in community. As we love one another, God’s presence is revealed in tangible ways.
The world does not first encounter Jesus through arguments, programs, or aesthetics, but through embodied love.
Questions to Consider
What does my love say about the Jesus I follow?
How does my community life reveal or obscure God?
Where is God inviting me to love more boldly?
Prayer Prompt
God of love, make Your presence visible through our shared life. Complete Your love in us.
Action Step
As a family or group, choose one act of visible love to practice together this week.
Week of December 14
5 day devotional
Scripture is NIV. Each day includes one sermon quote, one NIV passage written out in full, reflection, prayer prompts, action steps, and questions.
Day 1 🙂 The giver of joy: welcomed by Christ
Sermon quote: "Christ welcomed sinners He welcomed outsiders He welcomed enemies and made them family"
Scripture (NIV): Romans 15:7 Bible Gateway
“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”
Reflection
Joy starts where welcome starts. If Christ has accepted you, then joy is not something you earn. It is something you receive, and then extend. The Father’s joy is not fragile, it is covenant deep, and it creates a new family.
Prayer prompt
Father, help me receive Your welcome without bargaining. Make me quick to accept others the way Christ accepted me.
Action step
Reach out to one person you usually avoid or overlook. Send a simple message that communicates welcome.
Questions to consider
Where do I still live like I am trying to prove I belong
Who experiences church as something they have to earn
Day 2 🕯️ Joy before the sunrise
Sermon quote: "Joy is the lived expression of God's faithfulness in the present looking forward to a future certainty"
Scripture (NIV): Psalm 143:8 Bible Gateway
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”
Reflection
Your sermon tied joy to dawn. Not full daylight, but first light. Joy can exist before the situation changes because God is faithful before you see the outcome. The question is not, do I feel bright. The question is, do I trust His unfailing love.
Prayer prompt
Lord, speak Your unfailing love into my morning. Help me entrust my life to You today.
Action step
Step outside at sunrise or early morning light. Sit in silence for five minutes and pray Psalm 143:8 slowly.
Questions to consider
What am I demanding God fix before I allow myself to rejoice
What would joy look like today if it was rooted in trust
Day 3 🔥 The resistance of joy: Scripture steadies us
Sermon quote: "Joy returns when the Gospel becomes louder than the lie"
Scripture (NIV): Romans 15:4 Bible Gateway
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”
Reflection
Joy is not just emotion, it is endurance fed by Scripture. Lies isolate, distort, accuse, and shrink your world. Scripture widens your world back to reality. When the gospel gets louder, hope returns, and joy follows.
Prayer prompt
Holy Spirit, expose the lie that has been shaping my mood and my decisions. Make Your Word louder in me than my fears.
Action step
Write one lie you have been believing. Under it, write one gospel truth from Romans 15:4 in your own words, then read it out loud twice today.
Questions to consider
What lie most often steals my joy
How can I build a habit that turns truth into instinct
Day 4 🌿 Joy and peace as you trust
Sermon quote: "Rejoicing is a spirit-formed response to the truth of who God is"
Scripture (NIV): Romans 15:13 Bible Gateway
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Reflection
Paul does not command feelings, he prays for filling. The key phrase is “as you trust in him.” Trust is the doorway where the Spirit pours joy and peace into real people living in real pressure.
Prayer prompt
God of hope, fill me today. I choose trust. Let joy and peace rise in me by Your Spirit, not by my control.
Action step
Pick one anxious moment today and pause. Whisper Romans 15:13 once before you respond.
Questions to consider
Where do I default to self reliance instead of trust
What would overflow look like in my tone, my patience, my presence
Day 5 🌎 The witness of joy: a people of the dawn
Sermon quote: "A Spirit-informed church though is a foretaste of new creation We are people of the dawn even while the world still feels like night"
Scripture (NIV): Psalm 57:8 Bible Gateway
“Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.”
Reflection
Joy becomes witness when it shows up as a shared way of life. Not hype, not denial, but a steady, Scripture soaked people who awaken the dawn by worship, prayer, welcome, and unity. The world recognizes something supernatural when a church can sing in the night.
Prayer prompt
Lord, make our church a people of the dawn. Teach me to bring courage and joy into the places that feel like night.
Action step
Encourage one person in your church who serves quietly. Be specific about what you see and why it matters.
Questions to consider
How does my joy either clarify Jesus or blur Him to others
What practices help our community become a foretaste of new creation
Week of December 7
🌅 5 Day Devotional
Where the Morning Star Rises
Living peaceful and holy lives in a dark world
Day 1: Formed Before the Storm
💬 Quote:
“Storms do not form us they expose what has already been formed.”
📖 Scripture (NIV):
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
— Matthew 7:24
🪞Reflection:
The way you respond in crisis is the result of the habits you’ve built long before the crisis. Peter calls us to lives that are stable not because of circumstances, but because they are formed in Christ.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Ask the Lord to reveal any area of your life built on sand rather than the solid rock of His Word.
✅ Action Step:
Choose one teaching of Jesus (e.g., from the Sermon on the Mount) and write down how you will practice it this week.
💬 Questions to Consider:
How am I being spiritually formed right now?
What do I rely on when things shake?
Does my life reflect Jesus in both calm and storm?
Day 2: Living Peaceful Lives
💬 Quote:
“Make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in His sight.”
📖 Scripture (NIV):
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
— Matthew 5:9
🪞Reflection:
Peter urges us to pursue peace not just internally but visibly. This is not about comfort but about reconciliation, compassion, and wholeness in relationships.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Pray for courage to live as a peacemaker today, especially in a relationship where peace feels difficult.
✅ Action Step:
Initiate one act of peace today: a text, a call, an apology, a word of blessing.
💬 Questions to Consider:
Am I known for peace?
Do I react with gentleness or retaliation?
How does Jesus model peace under pressure?
Day 3: The Day Dawns Within
💬 Quote:
“Until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”
📖 Scripture (NIV):
“And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place…”
— 2 Peter 1:19
🪞Reflection:
Peter describes the future breaking into the present. The light of Jesus doesn’t just arrive in the clouds one day—it begins in your heart now through obedience and faith.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Ask Jesus to light up any area in your heart still dim with doubt, fear, or apathy.
✅ Action Step:
Read 2 Peter 1 and journal where you see the “light” shining through the promises of God.
💬 Questions to Consider:
Where do I need light to break in today?
Is there a dark place I’m avoiding that Jesus wants to transform?
How does hope rise in my heart?
Day 4: Listen to the Gospel
💬 Quote:
“Listening to Jesus is listening to the Gospel.”
📖 Scripture (NIV):
“Then a voice came from the cloud, ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!’”
— Mark 9:7
🪞Reflection:
The Gospel is not just about salvation—it’s about learning to hear and obey the voice of Jesus. His words are life. His teaching shapes a new humanity.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Invite the Spirit to help you hear Jesus clearly today, especially through His teaching.
✅ Action Step:
Choose one Gospel passage (e.g., Luke 6 or Matthew 5–7) and read it slowly, listening not just for truth but for transformation.
💬 Questions to Consider:
Do I treat Jesus’ words as optional or essential?
How does listening lead to doing?
Where is Jesus inviting me to obey?
Day 5: Gospel Formation Is What Will Matter
💬 Quote:
“Our formation in Christ is what will matter.”
📖 Scripture (NIV):
“Until Christ is formed in you.”
— Galatians 4:19
🪞Reflection:
It’s easy to focus on productivity, knowledge, or spiritual experiences. But Peter reminds us that what will matter on the day of Christ is who we’ve become.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Ask God to deepen your formation, not just your information. Pray to look more like Jesus in love, endurance, and peace.
✅ Action Step:
Write a prayer of commitment: “Lord, form me into someone who reflects Christ in…” (fill in the blank).
💬 Questions to Consider:
What am I actually being formed by?
Do my habits help or hinder Christlikeness?
What do I want people to see in me when the day comes?
Week of November 30
Advent 2025: Living in Hope of the Returning King
Day 1 Christian hope in a foggy world
💬 Sermon quote
“Hope will be a lighthouse that helps the church navigate through the fog to the safe harbor of the Kingdom of God.”
📖 Scripture NIV
Hebrews 6 verses 19 to 20
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul firm and secure It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain where our forerunner Jesus has entered on our behalf He has become a high priest for ever in the order of Melchizedek
💭 Reflection
Life feels foggy confused and disoriented The cultural moment pulls us toward fear cynicism and distraction Hope in Scripture is not a vague mood but a solid anchor Hope slows us down and fixes us on Christ seated in the presence of God
When our hearts look to politics possessions relationships or success to make the world right our hope drifts into other harbors You reminded us that “whatever we expect will make the world right that is what we hope in.” Christian hope looks through the fog and says Jesus is already enthroned and he will return
❓ Questions
Where do you feel the fog most in this season
What are you practically expecting will make your world right right now
How does seeing Jesus as your anchor reshape the way you think about the future
🙏 Prayer prompt
Jesus my hope has been pulled in many directions Help me see that you alone are the safe harbor Anchor my heart in your finished work and your promised return Teach me to trust that you will set all things right in your time
✅ Action step
Write down three false harbors you are tempted to trust For each one pray out loud renouncing it as your ultimate hope and confessing that Jesus is your anchor
Day 2 The currency of the kingdom
💬 Sermon quote
“I am going to call it God's grace That is the thirty thousand dollar investment.”
📖 Scripture NIV
Ephesians 2 verses 4 to 7
But because of his great love for us God who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions it is by grace you have been saved And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus
💭 Reflection
The nobleman in Luke 19 entrusts huge resources to his servants not so that they can feel rich but so that they can do business in his name You helped us see that this points to grace For every disciple God has poured out riches of mercy forgiveness and kindness far beyond what we could imagine
Grace is not just something we receive It is entrusted to us to be spent for others That is why you said “grace is the kingdom currency but we can only spend it when we have hope true Christian hope that he is indeed returning and will set all things right.” When we are not sure the King is coming back we hoard grace and bury it When we trust his return we risk forgiveness generosity and mercy
❓ Questions
In what ways has God entrusted abundant grace to you personally
Where are you most tempted to hoard grace instead of spend it
How does the promised return of Christ free you to take risks of generosity or forgiveness
🙏 Prayer prompt
Father thank you for the incomparable riches of your grace Forgive me for burying what you have given Help me see one person today who needs the grace you have poured into my life and give me courage to spend it for their good
✅ Action step
Choose one concrete act of generosity or forgiveness that feels slightly risky Apologise to someone buy a meal give to someone in need or release a debt Do it as a way of putting the King’s grace to work
Day 3 False hopes and buried grace
💬 Sermon quote
“We bury grace because we think revenge will work better than forgiveness.”
📖 Scripture NIV
Romans 12 verses 17 to 21
Do not repay anyone evil for evil Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone If it is possible as far as it depends on you live at peace with everyone Do not take revenge my dear friends but leave room for God's wrath for it is written It is mine to avenge I will repay says the Lord On the contrary If your enemy is hungry feed him if he is thirsty give him something to drink In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good
💭 Reflection
Revenge promises relief Justice right now Control But it never truly heals It hardens the heart and multiplies pain The gospel calls us to a different path To entrust justice to God and to answer evil with good
You showed us that when we believe revenge or power will fix things we end up burying grace We keep our forgiveness for ourselves Crucially this is not just a moral failure but a hope failure If we do not trust that Jesus will judge fairly and fully we will always feel compelled to settle the score ourselves
❓ Questions
Where are you nursing a desire to get even or prove someone wrong
How have you experienced the emptiness of revenge or harsh payback
What would it look like to trust God with this hurt and respond with active good
🙏 Prayer prompt
Lord you see the places where I have been wronged You know the anger and desire to repay that lives in my heart I confess it to you Help me believe that you will judge justly Give me courage to overcome evil with good instead of burying your grace
✅ Action step
Identify one relationship where resentment has taken root Today choose one tangible way to bless that person Pray for them by name do something kind or speak a gentle word rather than defending yourself
Day 4 Risky obedience in the in between
💬 Sermon quote
“This parable teaches us that the Christian's hope should empower risky obedience because we expect our king's return to set all things right.”
📖 Scripture NIV
First Corinthians 15 verse 58
Therefore my dear brothers and sisters stand firm Let nothing move you Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain
💭 Reflection
We live in the long journey between Christ’s ascension and his return It can feel like he is far away and other powers are in charge In that space risky obedience can look foolish Loving enemies giving sacrificially staying faithful in obscurity refusing to compromise for success
But Christian hope says the King really is coming back and he will not forget anything done in his name That is why you could say “real acts of faith feel risky but the path of faith is the only path to reward.” Obedience that looks costly now will be revealed as wise and worthwhile on the day when Jesus sets all things right
❓ Questions
Where do you feel tempted to hedge your obedience to Jesus right now
Which part of following Jesus feels most risky for you in this season
How does the promise that your labor in the Lord is not in vain strengthen you
🙏 Prayer prompt
King Jesus you know the places where obedience feels risky Help me see your return with fresh clarity Give me courage to give myself fully to your work Trusting that nothing done in you is wasted
✅ Action step
Take one small but concrete risk of obedience today Share your faith forgive someone serve where you feel unseen or choose integrity where compromise would be easier Offer it to Christ as an act of hope
Day 5 Judgment and joy
💬 Sermon quote
“Judgment is the fulfillment of our hope Judgment is the moment when the king puts all things right.”
📖 Scripture NIV
Revelation 21 verses 3 to 5
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying Look God's dwelling place is now among the people and he will dwell with them They will be his people and God himself will be with them and be their God He will wipe every tear from their eyes There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away He who was seated on the throne said I am making everything new Then he said Write this down for these words are trustworthy and true
💭 Reflection
Many people hear the word judgment and only feel fear Yet Scripture paints a bigger picture For those who belong to Christ judgment is the day their deep longings are answered Evil is crushed tears are wiped away and creation is renewed
You reminded us that the return of the King means justice for the oppressed and vindication for those who lived in his ways “On the day of his return allegiance or trust is determined by whether we lived in the ways of the new king or the old.” This sober truth is also very good news It means nothing broken stays broken forever and no faithful act of love is forgotten
❓ Questions
How have you usually felt when you think about the final judgment
What injustices in the world make you long for God to put all things right
How might seeing judgment as fulfillment of hope change the way you live today
🙏 Prayer prompt
Lord Jesus thank you that you are coming again to make everything new Help me live with both reverence and joy as I look toward that day Teach me to walk in the ways of your kingdom now so that my life matches the hope I confess
✅ Action step
Spend a few minutes imagining the renewed world of Revelation 21 Then ask God to show you one small way you can participate in that future today through mercy justice or reconciliation
Week of November 23
Five Day Devotional
Gratitude for an Unshakeable Kingdom
**Day 1 - When Everything Shakes**
🗣 Quote from the Sermon
“And when the shaking happens the only thing that's gonna be left over is God's kingdom.”
📖 Scripture (NIV)
Hebrews 12:27 to 28
“The words once more indicate the removing of what can be shaken, that is, created things, so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful.”
💭 Reflection
Life constantly shifts under our feet. Jobs change, finances tighten, relationships strain, culture seems unstable. Hebrews reminds us that the shaking is not a sign that God is weak. It is a sign that everything built on human power is temporary.
The kingdom of God is the only thing that remains when the dust settles. Gratitude grows when we stop clinging to what cannot last and anchor ourselves in what cannot be taken away.
❓ Questions to Consider
Where do you feel the most shaking in your life right now.
What temporary things have you been leaning on for security.
How would your mindset change if you believed the kingdom of God is already yours.
🙏 Prayer Prompt
Jesus, help me trust what remains when everything else shakes. Teach me to build my life on Your unshakeable kingdom. Give me gratitude that does not depend on circumstances.
✅ Action Step
Write down three areas you feel shaken. Next to each one write, “God, Your kingdom will remain here.” Pray over the list every morning this week.
**Day 2 -The Culture of Heaven**
🗣 Quote from the Sermon
“One pastor put it that we can call the kingdom of God the culture of heaven on earth.”
📖 Scripture (NIV)
Haggai 2:6 to 7
“This is what the Lord Almighty says: In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory.”
💭 Reflection
Haggai points forward to the day God would shake the nations and fill His house with glory. Hebrews expands this to the whole creation. But even now, pieces of the future kingdom break into the present.
Every act of generosity, mercy, forgiveness, and justice is a glimpse of the “culture of heaven on earth.” When that young woman brought meals and a check, she was not just being kind. She was participating in the breaking in of the kingdom.
You are invited to join that same kingdom life.
❓ Questions to Consider
Where have you seen the culture of heaven in your own story.
What simple act of love or generosity felt like God’s presence breaking through.
What would your home or friendships look like if they reflected the culture of heaven.
🙏 Prayer Prompt
Father, thank You for the ways Your kingdom has touched my life through others. Help me bring the culture of heaven into my home, my work, and my relationships.
✅ Action Step
Do one unannounced act of kingdom generosity for someone who cannot repay you.
**Day 3 - A Kingdom That Crushes the Powers**
🗣 Quote from the Sermon
“God's kingdom crushes all other kingdoms.”
📖 Scripture (NIV)
Daniel 2:44
“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.”
💭 Reflection
Daniel saw the rise of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. By every measure, these were unstoppable empires. Yet each one fell.
Only the kingdom of Jesus remains. It advances not through violence but through sacrificial love, justice, and truth. No government, ideology, economic system, or cultural movement can stop the kingdom of God.
When you feel overwhelmed by the news or by cultural pressure, remember what Daniel proclaimed. Remember what the sermon declared. The kingdom you belong to is the one that wins.
❓ Questions to Consider
What earthly powers feel the most overwhelming to you.
How does Daniel 2 reduce the fear you feel about the future.
What does it mean for you to live as a citizen of the kingdom that cannot lose.
🙏 Prayer Prompt
Lord Jesus, King of the ages, help me trust in Your eternal kingdom. Calm my fears. Lift my eyes above the kingdoms of this world and help me live as Your faithful witness.
✅ Action Step
Choose one fear driven habit (doom scrolling, arguing online, obsessing over politics). Replace it this week with one kingdom act prayer, Scripture, or mercy.
**Day 4 - Receiving What You Did Not Earn**
🗣 Quote from the Sermon
“If I'm just passively receiving this kingdom it it must be unmerited must just be given to me.”
📖 Scripture (NIV)
Romans 12:1
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship.”
💭 Reflection
We are not climbing into the kingdom. We are receiving it. Hebrews uses the present tense. We are receiving a kingdom. God is placing His reign into our lives through Jesus. That means the kingdom is not a wage. It is a gift.
Once you grasp that truth, gratitude replaces striving. Worship becomes joyful. Obedience becomes response, not fear. Mercy becomes the framework for your identity.
❓ Questions to Consider
Where do you still feel like you need to earn God’s approval.
How would your daily life change if you lived from mercy instead of performance.
What makes it hard for you to trust that the kingdom is given, not achieved.
🙏 Prayer Prompt
God of mercy, thank You for giving me the kingdom through Jesus. Teach me to rest in what You have given, not in what I can earn. Make gratitude my motivation for everything.
✅ Action Step
Write a gratitude list of ten ways God has shown you mercy this year. Pray through it each night before bed.
**Day 5 - A Life Shaped by the Cross**
🗣 Quote from the Sermon
“My citizenship is in heaven.”
and
“You have the victory you are receiving the kingdom It's being given to you and it is going to prevail.”
📖 Scripture (NIV)
Philippians 3:20
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
💭 Reflection
If your citizenship is in heaven, then your identity is not grounded in your job, your income, your politics, or your failures. You belong to the King who overcame death. You belong to the kingdom that cannot be defeated.
This changes everything. It means you can forgive when others fight. You can serve when others demand. You can choose peace when others choose anxiety. You can endure when others walk away.
You can live like Jesus because you are secure in Jesus.
❓ Questions to Consider
What earthly identity do you cling to most tightly.
How does the cross redefine true strength and true victory.
What part of your life needs to come back under the rule of Jesus.
🙏 Prayer Prompt
Jesus, thank You that You have made me a citizen of heaven. Help me live today as one who trusts Your reign. Shape me by Your cross. Strengthen me with Your Spirit. Lead me in Your kingdom ways.
✅ Action Step
Choose one difficult situation and ask, “How would someone who is a citizen of heaven respond here.” Then obey what the Spirit shows you.
Week of November 16
📖 Day 1: Let It End With Us
💬 “Let the circle of violence end with us.”
📜 Scripture – Romans 12:17 to 21 (NIV):
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge. I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.' In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
🪞Reflection:
Jesus took all the violence of the world onto Himself and returned love. To follow Him is to do the same. You do not need to keep returning pain for pain. You can let the damage stop with you. That is not weakness. That is the power of the cross at work in you.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Lord, give me strength to let the conflict end with me. Help me overcome evil with good. Teach me to walk in Your peace.
✅ Action Step:
Think of a situation where you are holding onto offense or hurt. Name it in prayer. Write down one peacemaking action you can take this week to end the cycle.
❓Questions to Consider:
Where are you tempted to retaliate or get even?
What would it mean to let the hurt stop with you?
📖 Day 2: People Are Gifts, Not Problems
💬 “People God puts in our lives are not obstacles but gifts.”
📜 Scripture – Colossians 3:12 to 14 (NIV):
"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
🪞Reflection:
God uses people to shape you. That person who frustrates you or rubs you the wrong way might actually be His tool for forming your heart in Christlike love. Gratitude does not mean loving only the easy people. It means learning to see every person as a gift, even when it is not easy.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Father, help me see people as gifts, not as interruptions. Show me how to welcome even the hard relationships with love.
✅ Action Step:
Choose one person who has been difficult for you to love. Do one act of kindness or encouragement toward them this week.
❓Questions to Consider:
Who have you seen as a burden instead of a blessing?
What might God be forming in you through that person?
📖 Day 3: A Church That Cannot Be Ignored
💬 “Let’s not just attend church. Be a local church the world cannot ignore.”
📜 Scripture – John 13:34 to 35 (NIV):
"A new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
🪞Reflection:
Jesus did not say people will know us by our theology, our events, or our style. He said they will know us by our love. A church that forgives, serves, and welcomes with real grace is a church that cannot be ignored. That kind of love shows the world what Jesus is like.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Lord, make me a part of a church that shines with Your love. Let our love for each other be a loud witness to Your goodness.
✅ Action Step:
Encourage someone in your church family this week. Write a note, bring a meal, or simply thank them for who they are.
❓Questions to Consider:
What would someone discover about Jesus by watching how your church loves?
How can you help make your church a place of grace?
📖 Day 4: The Ongoing Work of Humility
💬 “Recommit daily to humility. Teachability. Guard against spiritual pride.”
📜 Scripture – Philippians 2:3 to 4 (NIV):
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."
🪞Reflection:
Pride says we have nothing to learn. Humility says there is always more room to grow. If you want to love like Jesus, you must stay soft toward God and others. True gratitude begins with recognizing we do not know it all and we cannot do it alone.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Jesus, give me a teachable spirit. Help me lay down my pride and follow You in humility today.
✅ Action Step:
Ask someone close to you what they think you could grow in spiritually. Listen without defending. Thank them for their honesty.
❓Questions to Consider:
Where have you stopped being teachable?
What would change in your life if you walked in deeper humility?
📖 Day 5: Love Is the Evidence
💬 “Love, church, it’s not just your duty. It is evidence.”
📜 Scripture – 1 John 4:11 to 12 (NIV):
"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God. But if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."
🪞Reflection:
Your love is not extra credit. It is the evidence that God is real and that He lives in you. When we love one another, we show the invisible God to a watching world. Our love is how people see Jesus at work in us.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
God, let my life be evidence of Your love. Let how I treat others speak louder than anything I say.
✅ Action Step:
Look back at your week. Where did you respond with love? Where did you withhold it? Ask God for grace to walk in love going forward.
❓Questions to Consider:
Where is your love most visible right now?
Where is God calling you to grow in love?
Week of November 9
📖 5-Day Devotional: Gratitude Rooted in a Happy Future
🌧️ Day 1: Singing in the Rain
🗣 Quote:
“His song doesn’t come after the storm, it happens in the storm.”
📜 Scripture – Psalm 34:1–3 (NIV):
“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.”
💭 Reflection:
True worship is not postponed until things are easy. In the Psalms and in our lives, gratitude often breaks through tears. To “sing in the rain” means choosing praise not because the storm is over, but because we trust the One who reigns above it.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Lord, teach me to sing in the storm.
Give me the courage to praise You even when I am uncertain or overwhelmed.
Let my gratitude grow in the middle of what I do not yet understand.
✅ Action Step:
Write down one area of your life that feels stormy or uncertain. Then write a sentence of thanksgiving about who God is in the middle of it.
👑 Day 2: A Seeing Problem
🗣 Quote:
“When I am not able to give thanks, it is simply a seeing problem.”
📜 Scripture – 2 Kings 6:17 (NIV):
“And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
💭 Reflection:
Gratitude is often blocked not by circumstances but by blindness. We see the clouds but not the army of grace surrounding us. Like Elisha’s servant, we need God to open our eyes, not to change the story but to see it truthfully.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Lord, open my eyes to what You are doing.
Help me see beyond my fears or frustration and notice Your presence and provision all around me.
✅ Action Step:
Today, pause three times, morning, midday, and evening, to stop and list three things you see God doing, even if small.
⚖️ Day 3: Gratitude and Justice
🗣 Quote:
“God’s judgment means He will set things right.”
📜 Scripture – Psalm 96:11–13 (NIV):
“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;
let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes,
he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples in his faithfulness.”
💭 Reflection:
We do not often associate joy with judgment, but Scripture does. God’s judgment is not petty. It is healing. His justice makes all things new. We can give thanks because He sees everything, remembers everything, and will one day restore everything.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
God, thank You that You are just.
Where I see injustice and feel powerless, help me trust in Your timing and Your righteousness.
✅ Action Step:
Pray for one area of injustice in the world or in your own life. Ask God to bring healing and ask Him what part you can play.
✝️ Day 4: Gratitude in the Face of Death
🗣 Quote:
“Because He lives, death’s days are numbered.”
📜 Scripture – 1 Corinthians 15:54–57 (NIV):
“Then the saying that is written will come true:
‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’
‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
💭 Reflection:
Every loss hurts. But the resurrection of Jesus puts a clock on death itself. When we stand at a grave or face grief or fear, we do so not in despair but in anticipation. The grave is not the end. We give thanks, not because death disappears, but because Jesus defeated it.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Jesus, thank You for defeating death.
Give me hope today in the face of grief or uncertainty. Remind me that the resurrection rewrites every ending.
✅ Action Step:
Reach out to someone who is grieving, sick, or feeling forgotten. Send a message or prayer reminding them of the victory Jesus has won.
💡 Day 5: A Kingdom Perspective
🗣 Quote:
“We may live under dark skies now, but we belong to the kingdom of light.”
📜 Scripture – Colossians 1:12–14 (NIV):
“…giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
💭 Reflection:
Gratitude flows from identity. You may feel stuck, forgotten, frustrated, or exhausted, but your location in Christ has not changed. You belong to the kingdom of light. Gratitude does not deny the darkness; it simply refuses to be ruled by it.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Father, remind me that I belong to You.
Even when I feel overwhelmed, help me root my identity in the light of Your kingdom.
✅ Action Step:
Today, find one tangible way to act like a citizen of the kingdom of light. Serve someone, forgive someone, or encourage someone.
Week of November 2
🙏 5-Day Devotional: Receiving Life as Gift
📅 Day 1: Seeing Life as Gift
✨ “Gratitude is receiving all of life as gift.”
📖 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)
“For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?”
💭 Reflection:
Gratitude begins by embracing a fundamental truth — everything we are and have has been received. This is a direct challenge to pride and entitlement. Paul’s question is both piercing and freeing. If all is gift, we are released from performance and freed into praise.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
God, help me see everything — my breath, my family, my gifts, my salvation — as a gift from You. Break the illusion of self-made strength and awaken humility in me.
✅ Action Step:
Write down five things today that you often take for granted. Speak aloud a simple “thank you” to God for each one.
❓ Questions to Consider:
What do I tend to treat as earned instead of received?
How would my attitude shift if I truly believed all of life is a gift?
📅 Day 2: Gratitude vs. Entitlement
✨ “Gratitude aligns us with what is true.”
📖 Scripture: Romans 1:21 (NIV)
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
💭 Reflection:
Ingratitude isn’t neutral — it distorts our view of reality. When we withhold thanksgiving, we begin to live as though God doesn’t exist or isn’t good. But when we give thanks, our hearts align with truth, light, and clarity.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Lord, rescue me from entitlement. Let my gratitude reflect the truth that You are God, You are good, and You are present.
✅ Action Step:
Pause three times today (morning, midday, and night) to thank God for something specific you notice in that moment.
❓ Questions to Consider:
How does a lack of gratitude affect my thoughts and emotions?
Where in my life do I need to realign with truth through thanksgiving?
📅 Day 3: The Gift of Lament
✨ “Gratitude that holds space for lament.”
📖 Scripture: Psalm 13:1–2, 5–6 (NIV)
“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? … But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.”
💭 Reflection:
Gratitude is not denial. It doesn’t erase pain — it brings grace into the pain. The Psalms are filled with honest sorrow that ends in hopeful thanks. Even behind barbed wire or in the middle of despair, we can learn to say, “You have been good to me.”
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Jesus, thank You for welcoming my laments. Show me how to trust You with my pain and still find reasons to thank You today.
✅ Action Step:
Write a short lament to God — something real, raw, and unresolved. Then write a line of thanks at the bottom. Let both stand together.
❓ Questions to Consider:
Do I believe I can bring my sorrow and my gratitude to God at the same time?
What is one area of pain where God might be working, even if I can’t see it yet?
📅 Day 4: Gratitude Makes Us Generous
✨ “Gratitude doesn’t pay back — it joins in.”
📖 Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:17–18 (NIV)
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth... but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”
💭 Reflection:
Gratitude frees us from hoarding. When we recognize everything as gift, we don’t cling — we give. Gratitude and generosity grow from the same soil. We don’t give to repay God. We give because God is generous, and we’ve stepped into His abundance.
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Father, You have given me more than I see. Teach me to be open-handed. Let my thanksgiving overflow into generosity toward others.
✅ Action Step:
Practice generosity today. Share something — your time, your money, your attention — with someone who needs it, as a response of gratitude.
❓ Questions to Consider:
How does gratitude fuel generosity in my life?
Where can I release control and share joyfully?
📅 Day 5: Gratitude in Suffering
✨ “Gratitude that trusts God’s generosity even in suffering.”
📖 Scripture: Romans 8:32 (NIV)
“He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
💭 Reflection:
The ultimate reason for gratitude is the cross. If God has already given us His Son, then we can trust Him with everything else — even when life is hard. Gratitude in suffering does not mean we say “this is good,” but that we say “God is good in the middle of this.”
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Jesus, thank You for not holding back even Yourself. Remind me of Your generosity in my struggles. Help me trust that You will graciously give me what I need.
✅ Action Step:
Recall a past season of suffering. What good came from it? Share that story with someone today as a testimony of grace.
❓ Questions to Consider:
Can I trust God’s goodness even when I don’t feel it?
How does the gift of Jesus change how I see my pain?
Week of October 26th
📖 5-Day Devotional
Based on 2 Corinthians 5:16–21 (NIV)
Sermon Title: How Can They Believe Without Experiencing New Creation
Themes: New Creation... Reconciliation... BLESS... Living as Ambassadors for Christ
Day 1: Perceiving New Creation
Quote
“If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here.”
Scripture (NIV)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone, the new is here.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:17
Reflection
God is not just giving you a new path... He is making you a new person. To be “in Christ” is to live in the reality of resurrection, to see the world differently, and to live in the already-but-not-yet hope of God's kingdom. The old identity rooted in performance, shame, and fear is gone. New creation has come... now we are invited to learn how to walk in it.
Prayer Prompt
Lord, open my eyes to see myself and others as new creations in Christ. Help me let go of the old and live into the new.
Action Step
Name one area in your life where you're still living out of old patterns. Surrender it to Jesus in prayer today and ask Him to renew your mind.
Questions
What does new creation mean in your everyday life?
Where are you still clinging to old perspectives, habits, or shame?
Day 2: Reconciled and Sent
Quote
“Reconciliation doesn’t begin with our effort or virtue. What does it begin with? God’s initiative.”
Scripture (NIV)
“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:18
Reflection
Reconciliation is not something we manufacture... it is something we receive. God moved toward us before we ever turned toward Him. He didn’t wait for an apology. He came with grace. And now, He calls us to carry that same spirit into our relationships. We don’t just proclaim reconciliation... we participate in it.
Prayer Prompt
Father, thank You for reconciling me through Jesus. Help me reflect Your heart to others who are hurting, angry, or far away.
Action Step
Reach out to someone you’ve been distant from. Ask how they’re doing. If needed, take a step toward reconciliation.
Questions
How does it change your perspective to know that God pursued you first?
What relationships in your life might be ready for healing?
Day 3: Seeing with Resurrection Eyes
Quote
“So seeing with resurrection eyes means our imagination shifts from cynicism to hope, from scarcity to abundance, from self-protection to self-giving love.”
Scripture (NIV)
“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:16
Reflection
The world tells us to judge others by status, behavior, or politics. But Paul calls us to view others through the lens of Christ... through the lens of new creation. We are called to see neighbors not as enemies but as image bearers. We see not what is wrong with people but what God might be redeeming in them. This vision changes everything.
Prayer Prompt
Jesus, give me resurrection eyes. Help me see others the way You see them... full of dignity, potential, and purpose.
Action Step
Think of someone difficult to love. Pray for them by name. Ask God to show you how He sees them.
Questions
What worldly filters affect how you see others?
How would your relationships shift if you saw everyone as a person God deeply loves?
Day 4: Ambassadors of a New Kingdom
Quote
“We become the demonstration that new creation has already begun.”
Scripture (NIV)
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:20
Reflection
You are not just saved... you are sent. An ambassador does not speak on their own behalf. They represent the heart, values, and mission of their homeland. We are ambassadors of heaven, living in the middle of a broken world. As we forgive, serve, and bless, we become living evidence that God's kingdom is breaking in.
Prayer Prompt
God, help me live as Your ambassador. Let my life reflect Your mercy, justice, and grace to the people around me.
Action Step
Choose one way to represent the kingdom of God today: serve a neighbor, show radical patience, or extend forgiveness.
Questions
What does it mean to be God’s representative in your daily life?
Where is God inviting you to be a living witness of His kingdom?
Day 5: Practicing BLESS
Quote
“This isn’t just doing good works. You’re living out resurrection reality in real time.”
Scripture (NIV)
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:21
Reflection
We live in a world shaped by noise, distraction, and division. But God invites us to live differently... to practice resurrection in everyday life. One way to do this is through the BLESS rhythm, a practical and relational way to live as a witness of new creation.
Here’s what each part of BLESS means:
Be praying — Begin each day asking God to open your eyes to the people He has placed around you. Stay prayerfully aware of how He may want to use you.
Listen — Slow down and truly listen to others. Pay attention to their stories, fears, hopes, and needs. Listening builds trust and reveals opportunities for connection.
Eat — Share meals or coffee with others. Around the table, barriers come down and friendships form. This was one of Jesus’ most common ways of doing ministry.
Serve — Look for tangible ways to meet needs. Acts of love and service embody the gospel and reflect the heart of Jesus.
Story — Share the story of what Jesus has done in your life. You don’t need a perfect testimony... just offer moments of grace, comfort, or transformation you’ve experienced.
These practices help us carry resurrection life into our homes, neighborhoods, and everyday relationships.
Prayer Prompt
Lord, help me live the BLESS rhythm today. Let my habits reflect the new life You have given me through Christ. Make me attentive, compassionate, and bold.
Action Step
Choose one part of the BLESS rhythm to practice this week. Maybe pray for a neighbor, invite someone to coffee, serve a friend in need, or share a story of how God has helped you.
Questions
Which part of the BLESS rhythm comes naturally to you?
Which one feels most challenging?
How could your neighborhood or workplace be transformed if you lived this way more consistently?
Week of October 19th
📖 5-Day Devotional: How Can They Believe Unless They See?
Rooted in John 13, 1 John 3, Philippians 2, Colossians 3, Acts 2, and Revelation 21
Gulf Coast Community Church
Day 1: Show and Tell
📝 “The demonstration of the truth of the gospel lived out in our lives is not a replacement of the proclamation. It’s the show-and-tell.”
Scripture: Romans 10:14–15 (NIV)
"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.'"
Reflection:
The gospel must be spoken. Our lives should reflect it, but our mouths must proclaim it. Living faithfully is not a substitute for speaking boldly. God uses both to make Jesus known.
Prayer Prompt:
Lord, make me bold to speak Your gospel and humble to live it. Let my life and lips work together to glorify You.
Action Step:
Find one opportunity today to speak the name of Jesus aloud. It could be as simple as mentioning His goodness or sharing your story.
Questions:
Am I more comfortable living the gospel than proclaiming it?
Who in my life needs to hear, not just see, the gospel?
Day 2: Love That Makes It Real
📝 “Love is the credential that makes our proclamation of the gospel of Christ credible.”
Scripture: John 13:34–35 (NIV)
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Reflection:
Our love authenticates our message. People may not believe what we say, but they will notice how we love. When believers love one another deeply, the world begins to pay attention.
Prayer Prompt:
Jesus, help me love my brothers and sisters in ways that reflect You. Let my love confirm the truth of what I believe.
Action Step:
Encourage, forgive, or serve someone in your church today. Make love visible.
Questions:
Who needs your love right now in the body of Christ?
How has someone’s love helped you believe the gospel more deeply?
Day 3: Cross-Shaped Love
📝 “The love that testifies to the kingdom of Jesus is cruciform. It’s cross-shaped.”
Scripture: 1 John 3:16–18 (NIV)
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."
Reflection:
True gospel love does not come from sentiment. It comes from sacrifice. This kind of love is uncomfortable, inconvenient, and often costly. But it reflects the way of Jesus.
Prayer Prompt:
Father, teach me to love sacrificially. Make my life a reflection of Your Son who laid everything down for me.
Action Step:
Give something up for someone else today. It might be time, money, attention, or convenience.
Questions:
When has someone’s sacrifice shown you the love of Christ?
What does it look like for your love to be cross-shaped?
Day 4: United for the World to See
📝 “Our unity shows what our words proclaim. What our words claim, our unity shows.”
Scripture: John 17:20–21 (NIV)
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."
Reflection:
Jesus prayed for unity. Not just to keep us close, but so the world would believe. Division in the church weakens our message. Unity, rooted in the love of Christ, makes the gospel visible.
Prayer Prompt:
Lord, help me be a peacemaker. Heal divisions and strengthen bonds in Your church. Let our unity point others to You.
Action Step:
Make peace with someone today. Initiate a conversation, offer forgiveness, or check in with someone you've grown distant from.
Questions:
What does unity look like in your community?
How is unity essential for our witness to the world?
Day 5: A Foretaste of the Kingdom
📝 “When we love like this, we testify to a future where God is now and then and forever making us new.”
Scripture: Revelation 21:3–5 (NIV)
"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!' Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'"
Reflection:
Our love today points forward to what God is doing forever. Every tear we wipe, every burden we carry, every act of mercy becomes a preview of the day when God will make all things new.
Prayer Prompt:
Jesus, let my love offer a glimpse of heaven. Use me to reflect the healing, peace, and restoration You promise.
Action Step:
Visit someone who is suffering. Show up, listen, pray, and love them as a foretaste of the kingdom to come.
Questions:
How can your group or family be a preview of God’s restoration?
Who in your life needs to experience the newness of God through your presence?
Week of October 5th
📖 5-Day Devotional
How Can They Believe?
(Romans 10:14–15, Revelation 1:5)
“If we cannot believe unless we hear, then what we hear will determine what we can believe.”
Each day walks through one facet of the full gospel: the crucified, resurrected, and reigning King - the message that must be heard so the world can believe.
________________________________________
🌿 Day 1: The Message They Must Hear
📖 Scripture – Romans 10:14–15 (NIV)
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?
And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?
As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”
💬 Quote:
“Only if they hear about Him can they see Him with the eyes of faith.”
🪞 Reflection:
Our faith hinges on hearing. And what we hear shapes what we can believe. That means we have a responsibility — not to argue, but to tell the whole story: of the crucified, resurrected, and reigning King.
❓ Questions to Consider:
• Have you limited your view of the gospel to one part of the story (e.g. only forgiveness, not lordship)?
• Who in your life may not have heard the full gospel of Jesus?
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Jesus, open my ears to Your whole gospel. Let me not settle for a thin faith. Help me speak clearly and live courageously in a way that helps others believe.
✅ Action Step:
Write out your own 1–2 sentence version of the gospel using the three words: crucified, resurrected, reigning. Let it shape a conversation this week.
________________________________________
✝️ Day 2: The Crucified King
📖 Scripture – 1 Corinthians 2:1–3 (NIV)
“And so it was with me, brothers and sisters.
When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling.”
💬 Quote:
“Peter wanted a crown without a cross. Jesus insisted that the cross is the way that the crown comes.”
🪞 Reflection:
The world demands strength and power, but Jesus chose weakness and suffering. He conquered not by domination but by sacrificial love. That’s our King. And that’s our call.
❓ Questions to Consider:
• Where in your life are you tempted to seek power rather than humility?
• How might you reign with Christ by laying your life down?
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Lord, forgive me for reaching for the world's crown without embracing Your cross. Help me reign by serving. Shape me by the pattern of Jesus, the crucified King.
✅ Action Step:
Choose one way to “take up your cross” today. Maybe by forgiving, serving, or surrendering your will to someone else's need.
________________________________________
🌅 Day 3: The Resurrected King
📖 Scripture – Acts 2:32–36 (NIV)
“God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it.
Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.
For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’
Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
💬 Quote:
“Our salvation is surer than death itself.”
🪞 Reflection:
The resurrection is not a one-day-a-year doctrine, it's the daily power that reminds us we are more than conquerors through Christ. Not even death can stop the gospel. That’s the foundation of real hope.
❓ Questions to Consider:
• How often do you live as if resurrection is real, today?
• Where do you need to replace fear with resurrection hope?
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Jesus, You are alive. You conquered death, and You’ve given me new life. Let that truth sink deep today — and let resurrection reshape my fears, decisions, and dreams.
✅ Action Step:
Share with someone today, even briefly, how Jesus’ resurrection gives you hope in your specific circumstances.
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👑 Day 4: The Reigning King
📖 Scripture – Ephesians 1:20–22 (NIV)
“He exerted [this power] when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church…”
💬 Quote:
“Jesus reigns at the right hand of God over everything, not one day, today.”
🪞 Reflection:
Jesus isn’t waiting for authority, He already has it. His kingdom is breaking in now through the obedience of His people. When we walk in His ways, we become agents of restoration.
❓ Questions to Consider:
• In what areas of your life are you living as if Jesus isn’t in charge?
• What might it look like to live under His reign today?
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
King Jesus, You reign now. Help me submit every area of my life to You - my fears, my time, my relationships. Use me to bring Your restoration wherever I go.
✅ Action Step:
Practice “kingdom obedience” today by choosing to obey Jesus in one area you’ve been resisting - generosity, gentleness, confession, or courage.
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🕊️ Day 5: Gossiping the Gospel
📖 Scripture – Colossians 1:19–20 (NIV)
“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him,
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
💬 Quote:
“The world needs to hear the whole story - the gospel of the crucified King, the resurrected King, and the reigning King.”
🪞 Reflection:
You don’t have to preach a sermon to share the gospel. You just need to gossip the good news - quietly, naturally, honestly — in conversations, in grief, in joy. People are listening for a better story. Tell them the true one.
❓ Questions to Consider:
• What’s one “entry point” in your conversations where you could mention Jesus naturally?
• Who in your life might be waiting for someone to share this kind of hope?
🙏 Prayer Prompt:
Holy Spirit, give me open eyes, open ears, and an open mouth. Let me listen with compassion and speak with clarity. Show me when to speak the gospel story, and how.
✅ Action Step:
Pray for one specific person today who needs to hear good news. Look for an opportunity this week to “gossip the gospel” to them with love and humility.
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