ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
SELF-SUFFICIENT – All things are God’s to give, and all that is given is given by Him. He can receive nothing that He has not already given us. He does not need creation.
Acts 17:24-25 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
Praise the Self-Sufficient God
Praise God that he needs no sleep. Praise God that He created from joy and delight and not from need. Praise the Self-Sufficient One who gives freely from His hand.
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 Christian Challenge. Pray for their end of the semester party tonight. Ask Him to draw those who are far from Him and to encourage those who are walking with Him. Ask Him to guide us as a church to be faithful with our stewardship to the next generation.
SCRIPTURE READING:
2 Timothy 2:1-13 – The Message
Doing Your Best for God
2 1-7 So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!—to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others. When the going gets rough, take it on the chin with the rest of us, the way Jesus did. A soldier on duty doesn’t get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders. An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere. It’s the diligent farmer who gets the produce. Think it over. God will make it all plain.
8-13 Fix this picture firmly in your mind: Jesus, descended from the line of David, raised from the dead. It’s what you’ve heard from me all along. It’s what I’m sitting in jail for right now—but God’s Word isn’t in jail! That’s why I stick it out here—so that everyone God calls will get in on the salvation of Christ in all its glory. This is a sure thing:
If we die with him, we’ll live with him;
If we stick it out with him, we’ll rule with him;
If we turn our backs on him, he’ll turn his back on us;
If we give up on him, he does not give up—
for there’s no way he can be false to himself.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
5 Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops.
Soldiers, athletes, and farmers all endure hardship for a prize. They all must live within the boundaries of the rules laid out for them. Soldiers swear to obey the constitution and the lawful orders of their commanders. Athletes must obey their coach or they will not remain on the team. They must obey the rules of their sport or they will be disqualified. Farmers must understand and live within the rules/laws of farming or they will have no harvest. It is common to see limits as being bad. Domino’s pizza advertises “no rules,” but if you go to one of their stores they absolutely follow the rules of food handling safety. They train their employees to follow the health laws and company rules. They expect their customers to pay for their food and not abuse their employees. In fact there is nothing but rules in any business. But what if the focus is not on rules but on eating pizza? For me, pizza is delicious. I am grateful for stores that follow food handling rules and don’t make me sick when I eat there. I don’t mind paying money for pizza; I want them to stay in business so I can enjoy their food. How do you look at the “rules” God has put into effect for your life? Are they anchors or sails? Are they a hindrance to joy, or the only path to joy?