Day 27 | Serve God by Serving Others

 

9/7/2018

Temptation isn’t only about doing the wrong things. It’s also about not doing the right things. There are sins of commission and sins of omission. Our comforts can be just as dangerous as our catastrophes. God didn't put you on earth for your comfort. He put you here to serve his purposes. How do you serve God? There is only one way: You serve God by serving others, even when it’s inconvenient. Whatever you do for others, God expects you to do it as though you were doing it directly for him.

 

		Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters… It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
		Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)

 

REFLECT

 

What did you hear?

What did God say to you as you read today's Bible passage? What word or phrase was most meaningful to you?

 

What do you think?

What does this passage mean to you? How does it apply to your life?

 

What is your prayer?

This is where you turn your thoughts into prayer. It could be a prayer of gratitude or praise. It could be a prayer of confession or a request for God's help. It's up to you. But take a minute to write a prayer of response to God.       Prepared by Saddleback Community Church

Day 26 | Release Your Hurts to God

 

9/6/2018

Every time you replay a hurt in your mind, it hurts you a little bit more. Reliving a hurt only perpetuates the pain. But releasing the hurt and forgiving the offender is the path to inner peace. Every time the hurt comes back to your mind, bring it to God, ask for his grace, let go of the offense, and leave your hurt at the cross.

 

		Love keeps no record of wrongs.
		1 Corinthians 13:5 (NIV)

 

REFLECT

 

What did you hear?

What did God say to you as you read today's Bible passage? What word or phrase was most meaningful to you?

 

What do you think?

What does this passage mean to you? How does it apply to your life?

 

What is your prayer?

This is where you turn your thoughts into prayer. It could be a prayer of gratitude or praise. It could be a prayer of confession or a request for God's help. It's up to you. But take a minute to write a prayer of response to God. Prepared by Saddleback Community Church

Day 25 | Grace to Forgive

 

9/5/2018

Forgiving someone who has hurt you can seem so unfair. But forgiveness isn’t about fairness. Forgiveness is about grace. It wasn’t fair that God forgave you, but he did. Now that you have been forgiven, God says, “I want you to forgive those who have hurt you. And I’ll give you the grace to do it.”

 

		Be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ.
		Ephesians 4:32 (GNT)

 

REFLECT

 

What did you hear?

What did God say to you as you read today's Bible passage? What word or phrase was most meaningful to you?

 

What do you think?

What does this passage mean to you? How does it apply to your life?

 

What is your prayer?

This is where you turn your thoughts into prayer. It could be a prayer of gratitude or praise. It could be a prayer of confession or a request for God's help. It's up to you. But take a minute to write a prayer of response to God. Prepared by Saddleback Community Church

Day 24 | Freedom from Guilt

 

9/4/2018

God doesn’t want you feeling guilty. He wants you to be free. The only way to be free from guilt is to confess. When you confess your sin to God, you’re not telling him anything he doesn’t already know. He just wants you to own up to it. And when you do, he promises to forgive you then and there, no questions asked. And he never brings it up again. That’s what grace is all about.

 

		What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven! What joys when sins are covered over! What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record. There was a time when I wouldn’t admit what a sinner I was. But my dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration. All day and all night your hand was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water on a sunny day until I finally admitted all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, “I will confess them to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.
		Psalm 32:1-5 (TLB)

 

REFLECT

 

What did you hear?

What did God say to you as you read today's Bible passage? What word or phrase was most meaningful to you?

 

What do you think?

What does this passage mean to you? How does it apply to your life?

 

What is your prayer?

This is where you turn your thoughts into prayer. It could be a prayer of gratitude or praise. It could be a prayer of confession or a request for God's help. It's up to you. But take a minute to write a prayer of response to God.   Prepared by Saddleback Community Church

Day 23 | Freely Receive God's Forgiveness

 

9/3/2018

God can always be trusted to forgive you if you will simply ask. There are no hurdles to jump, no dues to pay, no penalty box to sit in, no scales to even out, no begging or bargaining. And there is no waiting period where God says, “Let’s wait and see if you really deserve my forgiveness.” It only takes humility and honesty. But the payoff is well worth it. You are instantly, freely, completely, and permanently forgiven and justified. Justified means it’s “just–as–if–I’d” never sinned.

 

		If we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away.
		1 John 1:9 (CEV)

 

REFLECT

 

What did you hear?

What did God say to you as you read today's Bible passage? What word or phrase was most meaningful to you?

 

What do you think?

What does this passage mean to you? How does it apply to your life?

 

What is your prayer?

This is where you turn your thoughts into prayer. It could be a prayer of gratitude or praise. It could be a prayer of confession or a request for God's help. It's up to you. But take a minute to write a prayer of response to God.

Prepared by Saddleback Community Church

Day 22 | Trusting in Your Father

 

9/2/2018

Each phrase of the Lord’s Prayer represents a relationship of trust. Our Father in heaven — You are my Father, I am your child. I trust your love. Your kingdom come — You are my King, I am your subject. I trust your authority. Your will be done — You are my Master, I am your servant. I trust your wisdom. Give us this day our daily bread — You are my Provider, I am your dependent. I trust your faithfulness. Forgive us our sins — You are my Savior, I am a sinner. I trust your mercy. Lead us not into temptation — You are my Guide, I am a pilgrim. I trust your direction. Deliver us from evil — You are my Deliverer, I am a captive. I trust your power.

 

		Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
		Matthew 6:9-13

 

REFLECT

 

What did you hear?

What did God say to you as you read today's Bible passage? What word or phrase was most meaningful to you?

 

What do you think?

What does this passage mean to you? How does it apply to your life?

 

What is your prayer?

This is where you turn your thoughts into prayer. It could be a prayer of gratitude or praise. It could be a prayer of confession or a request for God's help. It's up to you. But take a minute to write a prayer of response to God.     Prepared by Saddleback Community Church

Day 21 | Daily Dependence

 

9/1/2018

Jesus didn’t teach us to pray, “Give us this day our weekly bread… or our monthly bread… or enough bread for a lifetime.” He taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” because God wants you to depend on him one day at a time. If God met all your needs all at once, you wouldn’t need to trust him anymore. In fact, you might never talk to him again. So Jesus told us to ask for what we need just for today, and not to worry about tomorrow.

 

		Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
		Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

 

REFLECT

 

What did you hear?

What did God say to you as you read today's Bible passage? What word or phrase was most meaningful to you?

 

What do you think?

What does this passage mean to you? How does it apply to your life?

 

What is your prayer?

This is where you turn your thoughts into prayer. It could be a prayer of gratitude or praise. It could be a prayer of confession or a request for God's help. It's up to you. But take a minute to write a prayer of response to God.         Prepared by Saddleback Community Church