ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
GOD IS THE LIFE GIVER
All of life was and is created by God and is dependent on Him.
Acts 17:24-25 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Praise God – The Giver of Life
Praise God for the life He has given you. Praise God because He has given every person life. Praise God that He sustains all of life.
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 as they meet tonight. Ask God to strengthen student’s faith as they gather and help them grow in community.
SCRIPTURE READING:
James 4:4-10 – The Message
4-6 You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.” And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.”
7-10 So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him make himself scarce. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
“Wash your hands” is the external choice and “purify your hearts” is the internal choice that we make as we continually humble ourselves before God. Clean hands are hands forgiven of sinful actions and clean hearts are hearts forgiven of sinful desires. James has been laser focused on both aspects of human life. Our actions and our hearts must both be attended to. James’ favorite description of the person most in need of this double-cleansing is the double-minded person. The word is more literally, “double-souled.” It is the person who is trying to maintain a friendship with God and the world at the same time. They are perpetually deciding if God is going to be their master or not. So what would a “single-mind” or “single-soul” look like in practice? For one thing, it would be a life lived line with what James has been writing about. It would look like beliefs and actions more fully aligning in a person’s life. They would continually be “washing their hands” and “purifying their hearts.” This “single-souled” person would not be perfect but there would be clear continuity of beliefs and behaviors. Think of life with God as being about growth not as a series of “pass/fail” tests. Is the trend line in your life one of spiritual growth? Are you trending in the direction of a growing alignment of belief and behavior? If so, do not despair failures, just keep getting back on track. We will fail, we cannot quit, we must grow.