40 Days of Prayer Guide

Trust -Bekah and Thom Savage

"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going." "No, we don't know, Lord," Thomas said. "We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!" John 14:1-7 NLT

The work of the Christian life is to trust. God asks us to trust Him because He knows us the best, all of our inmost parts and thoughts (Psalms 139), and still loves us as a Father, Creator, Savior, and Lord.

In John chapters 14-17, Jesus tells us so much about the rich life that comes with the kingdom of God. He tells us that we can trust him because he is the way to God. We don't have to be troubled or afraid because the Holy Spirit will always be with us. We can have peace: "I am leaving you with a gift-peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid."

God, thank you for holding our lives in your hands. Thank you for your son, Jesus. Please help us give up control and live lives of trust in You which lead to freedom from anxiety and worry. Lead us in your will. Motivate us to do good works because of your love and the freedom we live out. Let us shine your light by simply abiding in your love. We love you, Father, Son, and Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen.

Hope -Nathan Heisler

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. (1 Cor. 13:13 NIV)

It’s just a little four-letter word sandwiched between those towers of faith and love. A word that somehow doesn’t fit very well in a world that seems so preoccupied with cynicism and fear. Whenever I see the word, it just seems so out of place in the caustic swirl that’s forever spinning around me.

Just as I think understanding it is too elusive and beyond my comprehension, I walk past a pregnant woman in the hall. I sometimes wonder what is it that makes a woman want to have a baby? Doesn’t she know there’s risk to not only her life and health but also there’s risk to the child? He/she might be gravely ill or born with some type of abnormality that could cause suffering both for her and the child. Isn’t she aware that it’s going to cost about $300,000 to raise a baby through high school and then another $200,000 or more to educate them further? That’s money that’s going to have to come from other things. Even then there’s no guarantee that he/she won’t be still eating out of her refrigerator and living in the basement for years.

Has she thought about how her own career will be affected, that her dreams and goals may be sidelined, perhaps forever and in the end the child might even grow up and reject her entirely, leaving her heart broken? The answer is simply yes, she knows all of that and much more but when I look at her, she shows no anguish at all. She beams as she anticipates bringing a new life into the world, a life that she can pour herself and her love into without reservation. The very thought of it brings her a joy beyond words and reason and it’s written all over her face. In looking at her I know there’s something more powerful than fear, something stronger than ambition and more important than even her own life and it’s right in front of me. A force, a power, an all-consuming drive, hope.

Hope so powerful that it won’t allow the demands, the risk or the cost deter it from enriching the world with a new life sharing her image and that of God’s. Without that incredible hope on display all around us, God’s plan for this world might never be realized.

Lord, there is so much our world needs right now but nothing more importantly than hope. My prayer is that you make it so prominent in my life that others will see my hope and want it for themselves. With all of my heart, overwhelm me with this grace so that when they ask what it is in a world of hate and pain that excites me so much, I can point them to you. In Jesus name, Amen.

…. in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth without knowing whose it will finally be. "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you. (Ps. 39:6-7 NIV)

I am the Vine...Remain in me -Justin Peach

John 15:1-8 - “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.

In anything you do, in every aspect of your life these verses should guide you. In John 15 Jesus has his last dinner with his disciples. Jesus has a remarkable way of simplifying complex ideas and he does it again here. Six times in these eight verses Jesus reminds his disciples to “remain in me.” Jesus knows that their lives are about to get chaotic, they will have many questions and they will feel lost, but He reminds them to remain. Where in your life do you need to be reminded to stay connected to the Savior and King? In the good times and in the bad, where do you need to lean into the Spirit and not rely on yourself? Jesus wants to walk with us, but we just have to be willing to stay connected to Him.

Goodness -Caroline Pruitt

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalm 107:8-9

Sometimes, when I don’t know what to pray for, I just thank God for his Goodness. Not just his Goodness to me or to Christians, but to all mankind. All Goodness is God’s Goodness regardless of who is experiencing it. It does not matter what a person believes, says, or does - if they experience Goodness, they experience God. God’s Goodness touches everything we - as human beings - love, admire, and enjoy.

Realizing this reminds me that God deeply loves every person, and he communicates this love to us all by allowing us to experience what is Good. Experiencing this Great Good is also His mercy to mankind, because it draws us back thirsting for more.

Dear God, have mercy on me, a sinner! Thank you for the mercy you show me very day by reminding me of what is Good, and drawing me back to you when I stray. Please give me the humility to remember my own sin when I deal with others, and help me to be a bright source of your Goodness and Love to all those I encounter. Amen.

The Lord is my portion -Michael Hovater

Lamentations 3:22-24 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

The LORD is my portion, and I am dependent on Him. His compassions are new every morning. It is my great duty and honor to look for His compassions in my life every day. It is also mine to make my compassions new every morning for those around me. I learn generosity by recognizing that I receive freely from Him. The LORD is my portion.

My gratitude and generosity are formed out of His compassion, my faith out of His faithfulness. The more I see and recognize the wonder of God in the world around me, the more generous and grateful I can live.

LORD, I put my faith in you. You are my portion. Help me to believe and wait. Give me eyes to see your wonder. Grant me patience in struggles and compassion in all things. Because of your great love I am not consumed. Help me to see you in my life, new every morning. May I live with a generous and grateful heart. Amen.

I Cast My Cares -Kevin Kilpatrick

Psalms 55:22 – “Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken” (other translations say “fall”)

I wrote a song based on this verse that we sing occasionally. I’ve always been comforted and challenged by what God is telling us to do when we face adversity, trouble, or worry.

He says to “Cast…”, like “throw or toss”, not “bring or present” – this tells me that God wants me to throw my cares as far and as fast as possible. He says “…your cares…”, not the cares of the world, but the personal things that impact just me because He already knows. He says “…on the LORD…”, not to my family, friends or other Christians, but to rely only on the LORD. He promises that “…He will sustain you…”, sustain doesn’t mean “protect”, but means I will be able to get through this with His help. “…He will never…” not sometimes, not occasionally, but always, which is a very comforting promise. But His promise is to never “…let the righteous fall”, so to lay claim to God’s promise, I have to live a righteous, not a perfect, life. That’s my daily challenge. When I live righteously, God will help me through the cares of my daily life so I can glorify Him.

Dear God, I cast my cares on You, oh God, sustain my heart today. My burden’s heavy, I’m weak, oh God, Lord, hear me when I pray. I cast my cares on You, oh God, I know Your awesome power. I reach for you and your always there when in my darkest hour. I cast my cares on You, oh God, Your grace will carry me through. I lay them at Your feet, oh God, and put my trust in You. You never let the righteous fall when I call on Your name. You are the King and Lord of all, I need Your help again, I need Your help again, I cast my care on You, Amen.

Loving Our Brothers And Sisters -Willie Chriesman

7Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 19We love because He first loved us. 20Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21And He has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. 1 John 4 (NIV)

As we embark on this journey, it reminds us of God’s great love for us. That we are able to even contemplate such an endeavor shows how His blessings have shined down on our faith family. But it should also remind us of those we have the unique opportunity to reach and to show our love. To the brothers and sisters who we see, often from a distance, who need—in addition to our prayers— support and compassion that allow them to see the love of God through our actions.

Scripture says we are liars if we say we love God and fail to love our brothers and sisters. But it is not about just saying we love them. It is about showing we do. Let us pray that the fruits of his effort will allow them to see God’s love through us.

Father, it is too easy for us to say we love our brothers and sisters—the ones we see and the ones we often choose not to see—yet fail to do those things that make that love shine as brightly as the blessings you bestow upon us. Help us not to be liars and to follow the command that says we must love our brothers and sisters. Because You are love. Amen.

Seek Ye First -Bo Kerr

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

Why do we complicate our daily lives with stress, anxiety and the pursuit of worldly possessions. Man cannot serve two masters. Do we want our master to be a career, money and possessions or do we want to serve the Lord? As Christians, we should draw nearer to God, relentlessly seeking his kingdom and his righteousness. In his presence we can take rest in knowing he will meet our needs. Father God, help me to be more concerned with storing up treasure in heaven rather than on earth because where our treasure is there our hearts will be also.

Dear God, help me to seek you. Help me to relentlessly seek you and encourage others to seek you. My desire is to serve you God. To have faith in your provisions and peace in your understanding. Forgive me seeking my own worldly desires and not trusting you at all times. Please lead us in the direction that you would have us to go and give us the courage and the faith to follow you. Amen

The Light -Marie Agee

“Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation… .” Mark 16:15

I have been very pained lately by all the troubles in the world, from the outright evil inflicted on one another to the political contentiousness on every side. It is a far cry from the world I experienced as a child in the Fiftys where everyone seemed to be Christian and, in the aftermath of World War II, love for our country was never questioned. It is no longer so.

The one thing that seems to be consistently lacking is the love for God and each other that Jesus talked about so often. In His last conversation with His disciples, He is quoted in Mark 16:15 as commanding them to, “Go into all the world to preach the Gospel… .” By and large, my generation has taken that to mean we pass the buck to missionaries to foreign countries. BUT, I learned recently that that particular quote isn’t translated exactly as it should be. According to our own Doug Ragland, that quote should read, “As YOU go about, preach the Gospel… .”

That puts the burden back on us. That says we don’t have to go to Guatemala or Africa to be the voice, face and hands of Jesus that the world so badly needs. Yes, that means as Christians we are to bring Jesus to everything we do and everywhere we go. It means that in this particular time it is even MORE critical that we be the LIGHT that illuminates the path back to Him. If that path ever needed brightening in the history of mankind, it is surely now.

Dear Father, Thank you for sending the light that brings us to you. Please help me remember that the light cannot stop with me! Help me look for opportunities to share the light with the people around me, both in my family and my community. If it weren’t for that light, we would all be blind and doomed. It is in the name of that light, Jesus, that I pray. Amen

Day Of Prayer -Bill Speight

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21 NIV

Our prayer for others and ourselves is the same as Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians. To know His love that surpasses all so that we all can be filled to the fullness of God. Imagine if this would be! To be filled to the fullness of God! Not only imagine it, believe it! Because when we believe it, Paul says we will be able to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine “. Grace and Peace to all.

Do Not Be Anxious -Kristin Mathis

Do Not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

I remember before our first child was born, thinking about how great it would be to pass on my knowledge of life to my child one day. Things such as how to cook, how to use a camera, how to run bases, and how to love people even when it's hard. As my children get older, I realize that I've also passed on my worldly anxiety to them. I often find myself so wrapped up in my own head, that I miss the time of just being in the moment with my family. I see my children respond to their situations with anxiety and it makes me stop and think about Philippians 4:6-7. I have no problem quoting scripture and telling my children to "go pray about it," but I don't take the time to do the same thing. If we truly believe that God is with us in every situation and that he hears every prayer, then our anxiety should not rule over us, as a consuming evil in our lives. God is with us!

Dear Lord, my prayer is that the everyday evil that shows up in the form of anxiety will be acknowledged but then forgotten because of God's promise of peace through Jesus. Amen!

I Am Who You Say I Am -Jacob Hall

“So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” John 8:36

On a Wednesday recently, I had a rough day at work. It was one of those days where I felt as though I had failed in every aspect. I was frustrated, dejected and spent. It just so happens that Wednesday night was our worship time called The Table. I confessed to my wife that after the day I had at work, I couldn’t concentrate and honestly didn’t feel like singing or worshiping. She encouraged me with a few simple words, “It’s okay. If you can’t sing, then just listen.” I intended to take her advice. Then The Table began… “Who the Son sets free, oh is free indeed. I am a child of God. Yes, I am. In my Father’s house, there is a place for me. I’m a child of God. Yes, I am.”

I realized I was letting my identity be defined by a worldly measurement. My pride and ego were bruised. In humility, I had to be reminded who I am. I am His and I’m free! I am a child of God and so are you!

I am so thankful to able to worship with you all and be encouraged by your talents.

The Church really is a beautiful gift that Jesus died for. I pray we never take her for granted and live in the freedom that Christ gives to us all.

Joy, Prayer, Thankfulness -Beverly Bendall

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ. I Thessalonians 5:16-18

These three admonitions stated by Paul may seem, at first glance, impossible! However, when we choose to intentionally focus on our Lord, these are within our reach. We will suffer loss of loved ones, illness and go through difficult life situations. At times, our lives will seem out of control, but God is sovereign and in control. If we allow Him to mold us through these difficult times, then being joyful is quite possible; not in the sense of a permanent, superficial happiness, but a deeper contentment which is brought about through God’s grace and hope. He is the source of our joy. When I read the words “pray continually”, I am reminded of monks in a monastery walking around all day with heads bowed – not practical outside of a monastery.

But, what we can do, is work to maintain an attitude of dependence on God throughout the day. I find myself sending up, what I call, “bullet prayers”-quick and brief, but heartfelt prayers. As we develop a habit of trusting God in all situations, we will also desire to stay in touch with Him through frequent prayer.

Thirdly, “give thanks in all circumstances” – not always easy! In difficult times, that feeling of thankfulness is probably not going to be there. But, if we can submit to his sovereign goodness in every situation, it will become the key to a thankful heart. God longs to see us joyful, prayerful and thankful……He knows what He is doing.

My Lord, my Saviour, thank you for loving me! Thank you for your word. You are to be exalted! I realize I will never be able to perfectly obey these commands, but I will set these as life goals and work hard to achieve them. Help me to stay mindful of the fact that You are always with me through everything. Keep me from falling into self-pity in difficult times – keep my eyes on you and strengthen my trust in you. Amen

God's Provision -Lisa and Rick Kaufhold

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, Philippians 4:6

Many times, in my life I’ve seen God’s power, but none greater than when my unmarried brother was very ill. He had been intubated for 39 days and when they finally took him off, he was very, very, confused.

I flew to Texas and went directly to the hospital. When I walked into his room he said “I’ve never been so glad to see anyone in my life”. He was scared and confused. He was really talking out of his head. I asked the doctor when it would clear up. He said weeks, months or never. With that information I knew I needed to get a Power of Attorney to handle his affairs and finances. I went to my rental car and cried and prayed.

I called Rick and told him I needed an attorney. He called Jay Clark. Jay looked up an attorney he did not know who had graduated from Abilene Christian University. It’s now 4:00 on a Friday afternoon and I called this attorney from my rental car. I told him the whole story about my brother and I asked if he was a Christian and he said yes. He said he would draw up the necessary papers and have someone at the hospital in two hours.

At 6:00 pm I met the attorney and his co-worker at the hospital. The attorney asked my brother who I was and fortunately he said "that’s my baby sister," but he could not remember how to sign his name. He signed with an X. The nurse was a witness and I got the Power of Attorney.

Copies were made at the hospital and by 7:00 pm it was all done. I had never gone to the attorney’s office and had not paid any money. Now the doctors and hospital would talk to me and I could handle all of his affairs and pay his bills.

The Lord was so present through all this! The attorney was kind and helpful, I was in a rental car in a city I did not know my way around and I was by myself. No that is not true. God was there – every step of the way. He was there in such a powerful way!

My brother lived for one year and after his death I was able to complete all his final affairs with this same Christian attorney.

I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread, Psalm 37:25

The Greatest Giver Of All -Jennifer Presley

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. I Timothy 6:17-19 (NIV)

Give, Giving, Gift…those words refer to so many different circumstances. People give of their time, whether it’s volunteering for a charity or visiting someone in the hospital or sitting with a friend who is grieving. People present gifts to one another for holidays, birthdays and graduations. People give advice, encouragement and instruction to friends and family. Whether the gift is tangible or intangible, it is important; it make a difference to the recipient of the gift.

So, what about our gifts to God? Does God need us to take the time to visit him in the hospital (I know, God doesn’t get sick), or give him a birthday gift (well ok, He doesn’t have a birthday either) or give him advice (yeah, right)? Does giving God a gift make a difference in His life? God is God; He is the same whether we give Him a gift or not. So why give anything to God? Because it makes a difference in OUR lives! Giving by its very nature is a vulnerable act. Who better to be vulnerable before than God? That is right where he wants us. If we are vulnerable before God then we must exercise faith in Him to use that gift in the way He knows is best. Giving TO God is an act of faith IN God; and God never lets us down.

Father, God, you are a good, good God; more than worthy of our little faith. You are the greatest giver of all! You gave us Jesus! I pray that we will realize that giving, and giving generously, is an avenue that you have provided for us to exercise and grow our faith in you. Thank you for that avenue and for loving us enough to allow us to participate in the act of giving. I pray this prayer in the name of the greatest gift of all, Jesus! Amen.

Go And Do Likewise -Paul and Laura Johnson

Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself.” And Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:27 & 37b

You likely know the story of the Good Samaritan but I would like to share a new perspective that I recently gained. A man asked Jesus what to do to get to heaven and Jesus replied with the uncomplicated answer that he must love God and love his neighbor. The man was trying to determine the exact parameters of this command and so Jesus shared the popular parable found in Luke 10. Once appropriate neighborly- behavior was outlined, Jesus made this powerful statement: “Go and do likewise.” Just that simple, uncomplicated command – sort of like “Just do it!” Do not make it complicated. Do not try to figure out if it is your responsibility. Do not assume someone else will come along. When you see someone who needs help; offer help. Love God, love your neighbor! Go and do likewise! Just do it!

Almighty God, thank you for the blessings that you pour out on me every day, for I know that every good gift and every perfect gift is from You. Father I know there are people hurting all around me and I ask for your eyes so I can look beyond myself and see the needs of those in my path. I pray that I will not get caught up in asking questions about helping others, instead I ask for the courage to just step up and make a difference. In the name of Jesus I offer this prayer, Amen.

God's Purpose For Me -Shaun and Ashley Cosby

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21

Several years ago you might remember a well-known book in the faith community, “A Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren. This book was a New York Times bestseller and having read it we can see why. On the surface it would seem that all Christians would be clear as to their life’s purpose, yet we find in our own hearts, and in talking to others that many followers struggle at times to know their mission. One thing is for certain, God created us for a purpose, and being truly fulfilled can only come from living that out.

Today our prayer for you, and us, is that we gain more clarity as to our life’s purpose and mission. What specifically is God calling us to do in order to make a difference for his Kingdom? It may be someone he’s calling us to speak too, somewhere he is calling us to go or something he is calling us to do. Questions that seem easy still sometimes can be difficult to answer. To help us it always begins by focusing on our blessings; “God, you allowed me to be born in a free country and to come to know your will, why me God, why me? Thank you for those circumstances Father, may you show me with all of my blessings how I may bless others”.

During this Accelerate movement we all have a chance to pour some of our financial blessings out onto others. Giving is always an act of faith, both in that we are trusting in God to take care of us with less and that we trust God’s servants to use our giving wisely. If we are honest with ourselves sometimes it isn’t easy to let go, and sometimes we aren’t always in agreement with how things are being used; it’s in those times that we feel often God is calling us to grow in our Faith. We would ask you to consider this movement as a gift from God to help you better clarify your mission from God; we know for us it certainly has.

“Father, I praise you and stand in awe of you, your grace is amazing and today I ask for that amazing grace as I confess my sins and work to do better in living my life in accordance with your will. Speaking of your will Father, please show me the paths that you are asking me to take in my career choices, family decisions and in your kingdom’s work. Also Father, as your paths become known to me, please bless me with the courage to follow the mission and purpose you’ve set out. Father, I ask also that you continue to provide our church with your vision and give us the resolve to see that through. In your son’s name I pray, Amen”.

Finishing What He Started -Steve Castleman

“I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Phil 1:6 – NLT)

Some of us find it easy to finish what we started while others find it far easier to start a task with the finishing part getting sidetracked along the way. My grandfather “Pop” used to tell me “Let’s get started…. can’t finish unless we get started.” I wish I could say I am a finisher, but more times than not I find it hard to finish, at least on my own – I often need a little help/encouragement to bring things across the finish line. Thankfully God is in the finishing business. “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns” (Phil 1:6 – NLT). This simple verse reminds me of so many truths: • My confidence is in God • It is God whom began the work within me • It is God’s work after all • It is a work that happens in the here and now • It is a work that will be finished • Jesus Christ is coming back

Father, thank you for being active in my life and reminding me that you have given me a part to play in your world. I am grateful for the promise of Jesus’ return and look so forward to that day when my faith will become sight, but I am thankful that you do not make me wait until then to participate in the life you have prepared for me. Help me see the good work you have for me and help me fully engage today that I might love you more deeply and love my neighbor the way you intend. Thank you for my life – I pray I will live it to honor you. In Jesus name, Amen.

Our Daily Bread -Jonathan McKnight

Give us today our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11)

I have a confession to make: I struggle with being present. It’s a daily struggle, even minute by minute. I am so busy that I neglect living in the present far too often. Maybe you understand what I mean.

Every day, I feel like I’m pulled in many different directions. I wake up, go for a run, get myself ready for work, help get the girls off to school, go into work where I bounce between multiple tasks throughout the day, leave work to pick up the girls from after school care, head home and (sometimes) help cook dinner, help the girls with homework if they need it, have a family devotional and get the girls in bed, spend some time with my wife, and before I know it, another day is gone. I’ll find myself going through several days then wondering where time has gone. What happened to this week? What happened to last month?

I get so caught up in going and doing that I don’t make time to just be present. And when I’m not going or doing I’m planning what to do next or, worse, playing mindlessly on my phone. I’ve caught myself checking work email during family devotional before I even thought about what I was doing. So I recently made a very conscious decision to be more present.

Being present means forgetting about the things you have coming up and the things in the past and everything you have going on and focusing on what is happening right now. When we look at Jesus’s life and teachings, we see what it means to be present.

As part of what Jesus taught his apostles, he said, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Just a little bit later he teaches us to not worry or be anxious about the future. Instead, focus on the present and seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.

We can’t live a Christian life in the past or in the future. We must live it in the present. We must be present and look for opportunities to spread the love of God. Focusing on the present means we will see what God has put in front of us, right here, right now. What a blessing that is!

Spend time today being fully present, giving your undivided attention to Gods creation around you.

Rest -Jeff Lawrence

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

I must admit that, during my lifetime, I have struggled to fully embrace this passage. The path of following Christ has, at times, seemed extremely difficult. How does this reconcile with this promise given by Jesus?

A book I was reading recently opened my eyes to a very simple truth. “The command of Jesus is hard, unutterably hard, for those who resist it. But for those who willingly submit, the yoke is easy and the burden is light.”

An honest self-assessment proves this to be true. My selfish nature, my desire to be in control, these are the faults that make the journey a difficult one. I am truly in need of God’s amazing grace to fully trust his promises.

Father, Forgive the continued lack of faith I constantly seem to live out. I ask that your Holy Spirit work within in me to trust and embrace the life you have called me to. Help me to learn the joy of putting others above myself. Let my confidence only be in You and the redemption found through the perfect love expressed through Jesus. Amen

City on a Hill -Aaron Greenwood

Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; may he crush the oppressor. May he endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more. (Psalm 72:1-7)

This beautiful psalm speaks so much to the life of our church. This mission that we embarked on with Fuel the Vision was all about a future for Homewood Church of Christ. The goals stretch far beyond becoming debt free. The goals are to make Homewood a city on a hill for the community in which we live. To stand up for the afflicted, to give hope to those in need, to be a place that waters the earth now and for many years to come.

Our church and our church leaders have become heavily involved in the community. The question is not, “what can we do to continue this?” The question is, “What else can we do?” Pray for our church. Pray for this community. Pray that God will open our eyes to places where we can “defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy.”

Father God, Guide our church. Give us as individuals and as a congregation the wisdom and desire to share your love with the community around us. Let us be a light in this community. Let us be at the forefront of fighting for the afflicted and the needy. Let us be a city on a hill. Father, open our eyes to where we can do more. Open our hearts to be receptive to your will. In Jesus name, Amen.

We All See the Same Sunset -Amy and Steve Castleman

Ponyboy Curtis and Cherry Valance in S.E. Hinton’s book, The Outsiders, come to the realization that though they have different backgrounds they both like to gaze upon sunsets. Ponyboy ultimately remarks at one point, “We saw the same sunset.” Their commonality was found in something larger than themselves and their circumstances.

John, the Apostle, recounts that Jesus looked to the heavens and said “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:20-21 – NIV). We find our ultimate common ground in our belief that God sent His son, Jesus Christ.

There are differences all around us and we celebrate that. Basil and thyme; pine tree and oaks; catfish and grouper, hurricanes and blizzards, and yes…..even cats and dogs. The imagination of our Heavenly Father is on display in the world around us and in the people we encounter. But too often, we let our differences stand in the way of allowing the true common denominator, Jesus Christ, to bring us together.

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30 NASB)

Father, help us speak the common love you have for all people to all people. Remove from us the biases and prejudices that get in the way. Help us see that acknowledging Jesus Christ, your son, as Lord and Savior is the unifying bond that brings us together. Forgive us when we stand in the way. We humbly offer this pray in the name of the one who saves, Jesus the Christ, Amen.

God's Law of Sowing and Reaping -Steve Brannan

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

The context of this scripture is the Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthian Church urging them to financially assist Christian brothers and sisters in need in other cities. But there is spiritual principle stated here that is applicable to us today. I am not saying that God always rewards us materially for our material gifts. This is not a get rich quick scheme. We should never give just to get. But I do believe God blesses us when we give cheerfully to others in need. It is a universal truth of God’s creation that we reap what we sow and we reap more than we sow. Ask any farmer.

If we sow love, joy and peace, we will reap love, joy and peace. If we sow prejudice, criticism and unfair judgement, we will reap those things. Church leadership learns from this scripture that we should not compel others to give but let each person decide for themselves how much and when they should give. God loves a cheerful giver.

Dear Father in Heaven: I praise Your name. Please give me a generous and cheerful heart. Help me to remember how much You and others have done for me. Help me to trust you in my finances. Open my eyes to see the needs around me. Amen

Ubiquity -Jeff Taylor

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22: 34-40)

Part of the work that I do involves leading a team that develops payment solutions for our business clients. The latest initiative involves increasing the speed of payment settlement to a more “real-time” model. In order for this initiative to be successful, it requires a universal acceptance by all U.S. financial institutions, something called “ubiquity”. Ubiquity is defined by Webster as “presence everywhere or in many places simultaneously; omnipresence”. For this context, we are using this word loosely and without a true grasp of its meaning. True ubiquity can only be achieved by the love that God has for us. His love is the only thing that can ever have complete “presence everywhere”.

In Matthew 22, Jesus summed up the gospel in two very simple phrases: 1. Love God and 2. Love your neighbor. As we join together in this 40 days of prayer, give thanks for the ubiquity of the love that God has for us and pray that we may return that love to Him and to our neighbor. For “All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Father God, fill us with Your Holy Spirit. Help us to understand the vastness of Your love for us and how we can spread the knowledge of Your love to those around us. Lead us to fulfill the missions that You have for us as a church family. In Jesus name I pray.

On Earth As It Is In Heaven -Matt and Andrea Miller

“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)

Some passages are so familiar, the words almost lose their meaning. We were taught to pray The Lord’s Prayer sometime before we can remember. Its familiarity and simplicity can mask a depth of meaning that is staggering when we really understand it.

Much of the power of this prayer has been lost because of a misunderstanding of the Gospel. The Gospel has sometimes been incompletely presented as a way to secure forgiveness of sins through the sacrifice of Jesus so that we can go to heaven someday. Though none of these ideas are untrue, when they are taken as the full expression of the Gospel, it can result in a twisted form of Christianity that causes people to disconnect from the world around them and just “hang on” for a better future in Heaven. This idea is completely foreign to the heart and teaching of Jesus. When Jesus prayed for God’s Kingdom to come, he wasn’t talking about some distant time in the future, but TODAY. Jesus’ gospel was a hopeful message that the Kingdom of Heaven has come and should transform everything, beginning now and culminating in the new heavens and earth, our eternal hope. What would it look like if God’s will were done in Birmingham as it is in heaven, and if our church was free to pursue this vision without any encumbrance?

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Your Kingdom come, your will be done in my family as it is in heaven. Your Kingdom come, your will be done in my neighborhood as it is in heaven. Fill us with a captivating vision of the transformation you want to see all around us, and release the resources of heaven as we partner with you in this amazing story of redemption. In Jesus name, Amen

So I’m being a little, well A LOT, emotional -Elyse Castleman

With everything being so public these days, everybody tries to keep it as “real” as possible but they sugarcoat it for the sake of those around us. Even if there’s a struggle it’s prefaced or concluded with something along the lines of “but I’m so grateful” or “but I still love every moment of…” Sometimes that’s just not true. Sometimes we don’t want to admit that we’re not happy and in that moment, we just want to feel that emotion.

Sometimes all we want to do is cry and scream out. These intense, and “larger than life” emotions can be hard to handle. Rather than facing and dealing with these fickle feelings, we suppress them. We act as if it’s the little bit of dust that couldn’t make it onto the dustpan, so we just brush it under the rug. We know it’s there but we avoid it and leave it there for the next 7 years. However, admitting these things doesn’t make us abnormal, it makes us human.

We live in a time of such extremes. Extreme sadness, extreme anger, extreme anxiety.

And it’s okay to feel these extremes. Emotions are a good gift from God. As a matter of fact, He created us to be creatures that feel things. These emotions rooted into us serve a useful purpose in our lives - yes, even those difficult and uncomfortable emotions. God didn’t redeem us only for us to suppress the “less desirable” emotions.

In Genesis 1:31, God surveys all His creation and called it “good.” He called everything good, even those emotions that we feel are better suppressed. Emotions add joy, anticipation, and richness to events and relationships. We feel elation when we hold that newborn baby, we feel fear when we’re spooked in the dark. We feel sadness when we lose a family member and we feel comfort when we’re embraced by our mothers. We even get to glorify God with these big emotions!

God gave us emotions as a good gift to be appreciated and employed in every aspect of our lives.

Father, thank you for embedding each of your creations with an array of emotions. Emotions that allow us to feel remorse when we’ve done something wrong and to feel comfort when embracing a friend. Help us to embrace our design as feeling creatures and to keep from suppressing our feelings. Allow us to see how each individual emotion makes us unique in our being and more closely drawn to you. In Jesus name, Amen.

It Is Well With My Soul -Jeff Rickard

Around A.D. 51 the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica: Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1Thessalonians 5:18)

Paul also tells the believers in Ephesus around A.D. 60 to sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:24)

In 1873 Horatio Spafford penned these words following a ship wreck that claimed the lives of his four daughters: When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.

In 2017 the Christian music group MercyMe released the song Even If that includes the lyric: ...God when you choose to leave mountains unmovable give me the strength to be able to sing it is well with my soul.

Over the course of time we have been instructed, inspired, and encouraged to give thanks to God for ALL things. ALL things....EVERY circumstance ? Yes, as Paul reminds us in Romans 8:38-39: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future , nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Dear Heavenly Father, may we always remember that we are never alone for you are with us...... in good times and in bad.....and with whatever life may bring our way give us the strength, trust and faith to sing it is well with my soul. In Jesus name, Amen.

Help In Weakness -Martha Hovater

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Romans 8:26-27

I want to love others well and to spread God’s kingdom to the world around me. Sometimes I find it difficult to take the next right step. There are times I don’t understand God’s will for my life. Other times, I more clearly feel called but don’t feel capable or well-suited for the work.

Thanks be to God, He has given the Spirit to help me in my weakness. When I am unsure of the right path or feel ill- equipped to follow, I am reminded of the power of the Spirit. What a mercy that God sent His spirit to guide (John 16:13), sanctify (2 Thessalonians 2:13), and empower (Ephesians 3:16).

God, Thank you for sending your Spirit. Help me to be quiet and listen, to hear where you are leading me. Grant me faith to trust that you will accomplish your will in my life. I am weak. I need your strength. Fill me, Lord, with your Spirit. Amen.

Give Me A Servant Heart -Mike Ermert

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11

Me, myself and I. My wants. My needs. My plans.

If we are honest, self-centeredness is a real struggle for many of us. We can sometimes dwell on the divinity of Jesus Christ and think to ourselves, “Sure, he had no sin, but it was easy for Him, He was the Son of God.” It is to our benefit that, while wholly divine, Christ was also entirely human. He was tempted. He had emotions. He had an ego. Despite His being God in the flesh, we know he became a servant. He humbled himself. He sacrificed himself.

Dear Lord, please help me live in a way that sets aside my self-focus and opens my heart to the service of others to your Glory. Let me humbly bow before you and acknowledge Jesus Christ is Lord.

The Ultimate Protector -Morgan Ary

The Lord will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and your going both now and forevermore. Psalm 121:7-8

Do we know how powerful prayer can be when it comes to protection and guidance for our children? Do our children know the greatness of our God when it comes to their own protection and guidance? God continually reminds us of his unending protection through every season, through every storm and through every hour of life. Life gets busy, life gets scary, life gets distracting and life gets hard…..but God remains the same.

May we continually turn our eyes to Him who is the ultimate protector. May we continually show our children to look to Him in all things. Are we praying for our children in our homes, in our church, in our schools and in our community? Let’s work together to pray over our children, for our children and with our children. They need us. They need guidance and they need protection that only He can provide.

God, thank you for our children. Thank you for each opportunity we have to teach our children your love. May we always seek you for guidance and love and protection. Give us comfort knowing you are always watching over us, even through all the distractions in life. Protect our children from harm today and everyday. You are good! You are our source of protection. We need you! Our children need you! Let us always know you are near. In Jesus name, Amen.

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Seek The Lord - Ryan Rummage

"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!" Luke 24:5-6.

On Easter Sunday every year, we dress up in pastel outfits, hunt for plastic eggs, and debate whether Peeps are actually any good. And we go to church where we are likely to hear a sermon about the empty tomb. All four Gospels tell of the resurrection (I still laugh how in John's account he makes sure to let everyone know he is faster than Peter), but Luke's account has always stood out to me. In Luke's version, some women take spices to the tomb. At the tomb they encounter two men wearing clothes that gleamed like lightning. Out of fear, the women bow to the ground, and the men then ask a rhetorical question, followed by arguably the greatest news in human history: "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!"

But this quote applies to so much more than just one Sunday a year to people wearing pastel outfits. Indeed, the question in this quote is one that I think about frequently. Our Lord and Savior quite literally walked out of the grave for me, yet I do not seek him out. Rather than go directly to the living Jesus with my hopes and fears, I seek guidance and comfort in what is dead: selfishness, pride, and things of this world. Like the women in Luke 24, I seek the living Lord among the dead.

So let me ask you the same question: Why do you look for the living among the dead? This week, instead of dawdling among the things of this earth, seek the living Lord, the one death could not contain.

Dear God, thank you for walking out of the tomb. Your sacrifice has given us life, and in this we rejoice. Only you give life, and only you are able to take away the sting of death. We thank you for setting us free from the bondage of sin. We want to seek you, and we ask you to draw near to us as we seek you daily. We love you, Lord. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Eternal Vision - Chris Richardson

As he was going out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Teacher, look! What massive stones! What impressive buildings!” Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another — all will be thrown down.” Mark 13:1-2

As humans, it is our nature to view our world and our circumstances as the ultimate reality in which we live. We are so quick to take our experiences and limit God’s power and His ability to move and work in the world. It is so hard for us to see beyond our own lives and experience to see what really matters. Like the disciples here, we look at what we have built, our programs, our accomplishments, and think that they will stand the test of time. But like our lives, most of what we build is just a vapor. Just a shadow of the things to come.

As followers of Christ, we are called to have an eternal vision. We are called to enter into the story that God has been writing since the beginning. We may have a small role in that story or a big one, but the point is that it is God’s Story, not ours. Our purpose, in Christ, is to live lives that testify to His glory!

We have the opportunity every day, including today, to live lives that point to our fleeting accomplishments and testify to our achievements, but that is a life that leads to emptiness. Or, we can deny ourselves of the glory we seek, take up our cross and live lives that point to the goodness and glory of God!

Holy God, give me eyes to see my life for what it truly is and not what I make it to be. Let me live my life in a way that testifies to your great love for us and invite others into that life with me. Let me not be distracted by the temporary while ignoring the eternal. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Cross Focused - John Bedingfield

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power. I Corinthians 2: 1-5

This is one of my favorite verses, because Paul sums up in a few short words his ministry focus, and I think it also reflects our ministries at Homewood. For me, a professional worrier, I feel many times I’m in a situation I’m woefully unprepared for, with my anxiety and fear, my weaknesses and mistakes, my endless excuses. God looks past all that, reminds me with the cross He has provided victory over death and all my sin, and does amazing things despite it all, demonstrating for all to see His awesome power, to do work even through me, or sometimes in spite of me.

No doubt the Romans had perfected the death penalty with the cross. And only the most horrific type of death imaginable could come close to demonstrating His amazing sacrifice, and outpouring of love, mercy, and grace. At the cross, even a hardened criminal guilty of unspeakable crimes can ask for, and receive, salvation. At the cross, all tribal affiliations fade away, all our differences are stripped away, and we all approach as a sinner in desperate need of a savior. At the cross, all the human wisdom in the world knew with certainty defeat was at hand, but the power of God proved otherwise. At the cross the entire arc of God’s relationship with mankind comes into focus, and the cross announces the ultimate payment for our sin, the establishment of a new covenant between God and man, hope for the hopeless, even for a Gentile like me.

The cross teaches us nothing is impossible for God, no one is beyond His love, and every other human activity, or sacrifice, pales in comparison with the good news of this gospel story. His great power is manifest in the cross, and there is so much more to say, but words fail me, so I have to trust that He can, and will, take the ramblings of this cross-themed devotional, and touch hearts.

Father, You are an amazing God who works through my life in ways I can’t comprehend, but I thank You. I thank You for saving me, for restoring me, for loving me beyond understanding, in spite of myself and my sin, for giving me mercy instead of what I deserve, and for giving me grace, which is so much more than I deserve. Thank you for the unfathomable sacrifice of Your Son, and the demonstration of Your immense love for us with the cross. Thank you for my brothers and sisters all over the world, and especially at Homewood, and the great work You are doing through our lives to show Jesus, and the cross, to others. I pray that we continue to show the world Your Son, and the sacrifice of the cross. Help us to know more and more about Your love, mercy, and grace every day, so that we can’t help but share it with everyone we come into contact with. I pray that our faith will rest not on anything we do, but only on Your power. Help us to continue to know nothing except Jesus, and Him crucified. Please come soon, but until that day, help us to be about the work of Your kingdom. In Jesus’ most holy, precious name, Amen!

Finding Hope When You Feel Far From God - Eric and Kelly Jorge

“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts, and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” Psalms 13:1-2 (NIV)

There are times when our prayer life and relationship with God could be better. Months or years can go by when we don’t feel His presence anywhere. Feeling like God is absent can lead to spiritual doubt, which can subsequently lead to spiritual darkness. Theoretical questions about our faith can also turn into existential uncertainty. Some Christians have called this (the absence of God or existential uncertainty) the “dark night of the soul.” If you experience it, it can be one of the most challenging times in your walk of faith.

The beginning of Psalm 13 reminds us that this can happen to someone as devout as David. Mother Teresa and John of the Cross are other notable figures that openly discussed their “dark night of the soul.” Dr. Robert Wennberg’s book Faith at the Edge addresses this subject in great depth. The book has helped us a lot during our own dark night. Our favorite points were as follows:

1. You are not alone. Other Christians have and will feel the same way, but it’s hard and humbling to talk about. Feeling that God is absent is not a reflection of being a “bad” Christian. 2. There is a reason for God choosing to withdraw His presence, or to let us experience agonizing questions and doubts. If this divine absence is used in the right way, it will significantly strengthen our faith and obedience. 3. Doubt is not unbelief, it is uncertainty. Hope in God’s promises and yearning for God’s presence play an important role during these times when we lack the sure confidence that we once felt.

If you are going through your own dark night of the soul, we want to encourage you. Continue to have faith and be steadfast in your prayers as you seek Jesus. As C.S. Lewis put it in his book The Screwtape Letters, the enemy’s cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer feeling connected, but still intending to do the Lord’s will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, but still obeys and praises Him.

Lord, We praise you that You are present with us, even when You feel far from us. For those of us who are going through the “dark night of the soul,” I pray that make your presence known and apparent to us. Give us the strength and peace that we need to make it through this trial. Help us to understand that although we may not always feel Your presence, that does not change the truth of the promise You gave us that You are always with us (Hebrews 13:5). Give us the awareness to bear each other’s burdens and help each other through our daily challenges. May we never cease seeking You and striving to know You better.

Hope and Joy - Savannah Cook

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 NIV)

Hope and joy. How rarely we hear these words in our society today, but how beautiful they are to us as followers of God. As Christians we have been given the precious and wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit who resides in us, and as a result, these should be the two emotions overflowing from within us every single day. Because God sent his very spirit to be with us always, we are able to live lives where hope and joy abound, allowing us to encourage everyone we come in contact with.

God, how wonderful you are. We thank you for the blessings you have given us today and every day. God, I pray that we can live today and all days with the hope and joy that we have through you. Thank you for loving us so well. Amen

Fear - Ben Faucett

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

“for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

When I was younger I thought being a Christian or living a Christian life was about always following the rules or carefully avoiding sin. As my faith has grown I’ve come to believe that it has less to do with that and much more to do with boldly pursuing God’s will in my life. If I’m being honest, this can be a little scary at times. Whether it’s fear of failure, rejection, or even of consequences, I don’t always want to let go of control and go where He is leading. We are never promised that it will be easy but the great news is that Jesus promises to always be with us. That’s in there! In Matthew 28:20 Jesus says “and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age”.

God, thank you for the freedom we have in Christ. Please give us the eyes to see Your will for our lives and the courage to act.

Grace - Katy Richardson

So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. Ephesians 1:6-7

I love rules. They make sense to me. I grew up with a legalistic view of Christianity. Grace was just an empty word to me. I held myself and others to a very high standard; an unattainable standard. Needless to say, I was disappointed a lot. As I have grown and learned the error of my ways, I am more thankful for God’s grace every day. Because while I can still follow the “rules” Ephesians 2:5 says, “It is ONLY by God’s grace that you have been saved”! I will never be able to do enough to enter God’s kingdom on my own. I have to lean into His perfect grace.

But what is grace? Grace is unmerited. It is a gift. An act of goodwill. A working principle. Something we do not deserve. “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for it; it is a gift from God”. Ephesians 2:8

I can think of no better example in the Bible of grace than the parable of the prodigal son. This son who lived immorally and with impunity returned home and was fully received by the grace of his father. And isn’t this how God will receive us who love him and are bought by Jesus’ blood? Completely cleansed not by our actions, but by His grace.

Father, thank you for the unmerited, beautiful gift of your grace. This is how we know that you love us. That you want us so badly that although we fail you daily you have given us a way to You. Help us to learn to receive that grace. Give us humility to accept that we are totally dependent on your grace to carry us through. Help us to show grace to ourselves and our brothers and sisters because we all sin and fall short of Your

glory. Amen

As Far as the East is from the West - Steve Graham

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” -Psalm 103: 11-12

The human race is a broken lot. All have sinned and turned away from God at some point in their lives, some for much of it. Over the centuries since Jesus ascended to heaven, the religious world has often preyed upon the broken with inexhaustible shame and guilt. This culture still exists today within many worship houses, and sometimes even within our own homes and personal relationships.

For those of us who seek to follow the Lord, the feeling of guilt over our sins can sometimes bring about overwhelming grief. A great example of this from scripture is found in Peter’s deep personal collapse into shame over his denial of Jesus three times on the night of His betrayal. One can only imagine what Peter went through over those three days, as the world hung in the balance. We are no different today, for we are simply human, and it pains us deeply to realize that we have shunned Him.

However, our faith is built upon a great truth: Jesus Christ didn’t only die for us….He also lived! The Hebrew writer assures us that we have a high priest in Jesus who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses and was tempted in every way (Heb 4:15). He is not some iron-hearted overlord, waiting for the opportunity to pour down judgement upon any who dare blunder. Rather, Jesus is filled with compassion and pity, ever ready to take up our cause. As the old hymn goes, Jesus knows, Jesus cares.

When we find ourselves mired in regret and sorrow over our sin, let us strive to remember this crucial psalm from David, foreshadowing the full and total atonement for our wrongs that was to come through our Lord. No matter how far we’ve strayed, no matter the depth of wickedness, and no matter the paralyzing fear and despair we may experience in those moments of realization, we have a Father who longs to remove all of that burden of guilt and shame from us, through His Son and our Savior, Jesus. God be praised!

Knowing all of this, let us Rejoice, evermore, seeking to live a life each day in celebration of our faith in Him!

Father, you know my heart, you know my walk, and you know my sin. I pray for your forgiveness through Jesus Christ – my rock and my redeemer - that you would take away this burden of regret and shame that I cannot bear any longer. Help me to rise up today and walk anew. Give me strength to walk in Your light, and no longer in the darkness. I am so thankful for your perfect plan that is built in love and grace; help me to love others today in an uncommon way, knowing I am forgiven. In the blessed name of the Savior I offer this prayer, Amen.

Invite - Bethany Faucett

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11

I don’t always pick “One Word” for the year, but there is one word that I have resonated with over the past year. That word is: Invite. There are many stories in the Bible where Jesus invited others to join him in a meal or in prayer or in communion. There is something special that happens when we invite others into our life with Christ being the center.

We recently moved closer to the church so that our house could be an open invitation to our church family and our Connect Group. We love the communion that is shared between friends in our home. We don’t have the biggest or newest home, and you have to step around the Barbie Dreamhouse just to get in, but there is something special that happens when you let people enter your life just as you are. There have been many times of tears, laughter and celebrating around our kitchen table just in the past year of living here. It was around this table that our Wednesday night service, The Table, was being dreamed of and talked about.

I believe Jesus invites us into the same kind of community with him. I treasure my quiet time with him. Once I figured out the best place and way to have time with Jesus, it is a time that I can’t do without.

Invite Jesus into your daily life today. Find a time and a place that works for you to spend time with him. Then invite someone into your home with no expectation of having the best of everything. Invite them to your real life, a life in Christ.

God, I pray that we continue to invite- invite you into our lives and invite others to join us. Thank you for the invitation to live an abundant life through Jesus.

Long Obedience in the Same Direction - Bret and Lanie Walters

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Here we are. A 40-day journey behind us. A life-long journey awaits. When Lanie and I set foot into the Homewood family in 2005 we had no clue what God had in store. A career change and three children later, here we are. Even before I came on staff in 2010 we felt as if Homewood was home. We believe God does not need our ability as much as He empowers our availability. Our call is to be faithful. “Confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6).

While I do not believe there is anything magical about 40 days, I do believe God blesses “a long obedience in the same direction,” to borrow a line from Eugene Peterson. When we seek first the kingdom (Matthew 6:33), the other “stuff” in life is more appropriately ordered. Does that mean life becomes immune to difficulty? Certainly not. It simply reminds us that our call is to love first (Matthew 22:37- 38), to seek the kingdom first, to be last first (Matthew 19:30), to be thankful first (Romans 1:8), to be quick to listen first (James 1:19).

Our consistent encouragement throughout these 40 days has been and continues to be to 1) get in the Word and 2) get in your prayer closet. How has the Lord revealed himself to you? How have you grown in the grace and knowledge of our Lord? What are the things you need to say no to so you can say yes to that which matters most? Who is the Lord asking you to encourage this week?

We consider it a deep joy to serve alongside you!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21