ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
GOD IS PERSONAL
God is a self-conscious Being capable of thought, will, and interaction with His creation. We reflected yesterday on God’s personal nature. Let’s adore him again today because he is personal. He is not busily working trying to keep track of data and activity like Santa Claus checking the naughty list or scurrying to make toys. He is instantly and perfectly aware of every need and concern that you have. It is not work for him to know your needs, but he invites you to bring your personal needs to him. He is personal.
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Praise the Personal God
Praise God that he can relate with you personally. Praise God that he is so powerful that he can be aware of all the stars and planets and he is aware of all your needs. Praise him that he is not weighed down by your anxiety. He is glad to hear your requests. Praise him because your requests are not a bother to him.
CONFESSION: Confess your sins to God and receive his continued mercy.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
THANKSGIVING: Giving thanks to God for his specific blessings in our lives.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100
SUPPLICATION: Bringing our requests to God.
- Bring your personal prayer requests to God.
- Pray for Embrace. Ask God to use their work to rescue unborn children and to point mothers to Christ.
- Ask God to speak to you as you read the scriptures.
SCRIPTURE READING:
2 Corinthians 9 English Standard Version
The Collection for Christians in Jerusalem
9 Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, 2 for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.
The Cheerful Giver
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
Unity is a vitally important concept in Scripture. Jesus said that the world would know we are his disciples by how we love one another. Sadly, unity is often lacking among believers. This is a reality of living as imperfect people that continue to sin and act with pride and selfishness even after we have been born again. But a lack of unity is not always a sign of sin. Sometimes well-meaning people have come to wrong conclusions about what Scripture teaches. In this case to push for unity with people who are wrong about what Scripture teaches at the expense of truth would not be God honoring or even helpful for people. Unity is important, truth is essential. When truth is sacrificed for unity then there will be, eventually, no basis for unity. This doesn’t mean we are to be unkind to people who disagree or that we cannot be friends with them. It simply means that if a person believes, values, and behaves in a way that you disagree with, how could you possibly collaborate with them on important ministry and life issues? Live with conviction, with a smile. We should not be angry or combative about the truth, we should live joyfully in it.