ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
SPIRITUAL God isn’t made of matter, has no parts or dimensions, cannot be perceived by our bodily senses, and is more excellent than any other kind of existence. He doesn’t have a physical body, nor is he merely energy, thought, or some other element of creation. God is spirit.
John 4:24 God is spirit, and the people who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
Praise God that He is Spirit
Praise God that He is alive. Praise Him that He is personal. Praise Him that He is more than a force or energy. Praise Him that He has revealed Himself to us.
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 your friends who do not know Jesus. Ask God to strengthen your friendships and to give you opportunities for gospel conversations.
SCRIPTURE READING:
2 Timothy 2:14-26 – New Living Translation
14 Remind everyone about these things, and command them in God’s presence to stop fighting over words. Such arguments are useless, and they can ruin those who hear them.
An Approved Worker
15 Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth. 16 Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior. 17 This kind of talk spreads like cancer, as in the case of Hymenaeus and Philetus. 18 They have left the path of truth, claiming that the resurrection of the dead has already occurred; in this way, they have turned some people away from the faith.
19 But God’s truth stands firm like a foundation stone with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and “All who belong to the Lord must turn away from evil.”
20 In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. 21 If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work.
22 Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.
23 Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. 24 A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
Do you engage in every argument, discussion, and controversy that comes your way? If you have an online presence, do you comment on virtually everything? Perhaps you just have a coffee shop presence and that is where you like to wax eloquent on virtually every topic. It’s okay to have opinions on a wide variety of subjects. It’s okay to weigh in on matters of importance. But if you are known for having a strong opinion on everything then you will be known for nothing in particular. Here is a challenge for you…make it your ambition to be known for the gospel. Not that you twist every conversation back to talking about Jesus. That can be weird and unhelpful. This is more about being a person whose heart is so permeated with the gospel (see yesterday’s devotion) that it comes from your mouth in winsome and appropriate ways. Becoming this kind of person is not an overnight project; it takes a lifetime. But progress towards this end leads to increasing beauty in our lives. We can be people who are becoming more and more known for the good news of Jesus rather than just having an opinion about another piece of cultural bad news.