ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
GOD IS PERFECT God completely possesses all excellent qualities. Additionally, there’s no quality of excellence that he does not have. He is “complete” or “perfect” in every way.
Jesus tells us, “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). And David says of God, “His way is perfect” (Psalm 18:30).
Praise God that He is Perfect
Praise God that He is complete in His perfection. Praise God that He is excellent in every way. Nothing or no one is more excellent than God. Praise God that His plan for salvation is perfect. His actions are perfect.
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 Youth Horizons. Ask God to strengthen their ministry and to use their work to help children and their families find new life in Christ.
SCRIPTURE READING:
Hebrews 12:18-29 – English Standard Version
A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken
18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
Research and experience have demonstrated that the most effective counter to the negativity bias is gratitude. This is also a prevailing command in Scripture. In the book of Philippians, we are told over and over to “be grateful.” This counter balance to the negativity bias has been given the mental “hook” of “hunting the good stuff.” Yesterday we took an honest look at our propensity to give more weight to the negative. Today we begin our hunt for the good stuff; in fact, we are going to be hunting for the “best stuff.” As we move towards this “best stuff” let’s begin today by practicing hunting for the good stuff. For the rest of your time today just begin to list all the good in your life. Don’t worry about whether it is “eternal” or “temporal” good, or whether it is something “big” or “small.” If it’s good…write it down. Air is good. Food is good. Friends are good. A mind that works is good. The encouragement you received from an adult as a kid is good. Okay, happy hunting!