ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
GOD IS SELF-SUFFICIENT God has no needs, cannot improve and does not change. We, on the other hand, as created beings rely completely on God for our every breath.
1 Corinthians 4:7
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?
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 God for His Self Sufficiency
Reflect on God’s self-sufficiency by considering your own dependence. Make a list of all the things you have that you did not receive. You can’t. Everything you have (food, strength, oxygen, consciousness, personality, relationships…) all come from God. You need God, but he is fully self satisfied and self-sufficient. Speak words of praise to him because he is self-sufficient.
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:
James 2:1-13 – New Living Translation
A Warning against Prejudice
2 My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?
2 For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. 3 If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, 4 doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives?
5 Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the Kingdom he promised to those who love him? 6 But you dishonor the poor! Isn’t it the rich who oppress you and drag you into court? 7 Aren’t they the ones who slander Jesus Christ, whose noble name you bear?
8 Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 But if you favor some people over others, you are committing a sin. You are guilty of breaking the law.
10 For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws. 11 For the same God who said, “You must not commit adultery,” also said, “You must not murder.” So if you murder someone but do not commit adultery, you have still broken the law.
12 So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. 13 There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
James demonstrates the tragic irony of being impressed by people who were absolutely not impressive. It was largely the poor among them who were demonstrating a life that was rich in faith. It was the rich in the community (not all of course) who were causing the most heartache for the church. They were suing and exploiting. They were slandering the name of Jesus. It is amazing that from a biblical point of view, these people who were unimpressive were the ones being held in high esteem. This is puzzling and tragic to James. Where do we find application here? Perhaps you are keen to win the approval of someone who is far from God. You want this, not to be positioned to win them to Christ, but rather because you want them to like you and to think you are ok. We can very easily become impressed with people we should not be impressed with. Sometimes these people do not want our best. Sometimes they are not nice or good people. We should love them and seek to share the good news of Jesus with them. We must not, however, seek to impress them or be impressed by them.