CHARGE

1 Chronicles 28:9-10, 20 (ESV)

9-10 ““And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it.” 

20 Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.”

Joshua 1:6-7, 9, 18 (ESV)

6-7 “Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 

18b …Only be strong and courageous.””

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King David gave a charge for Solomon, his son, for the work of God—for Solomon to be strong and courageous. 

As the Lord commissioned Joshua to enter the promised land, the Lord commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous. 

This task we have before us as a church requires us to be strong and courageous. 

Let’s continue to be in the Lord, who will always be with us, and find strength and courage in Him.  

I pray the spiritual journey continues for us all. 

OFFERING

1 Chronicles 29:1-22a (ESV)

1-2a “And David the king said to all the assembly, “Solomon my son, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great, for the palace will not be for man but for the Lord God. So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able….

6 Then the leaders of fathers’ houses made their freewill offerings, as did also the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and the officers over the king’s work. 

9 Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly. 

14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 

16-18 O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you. 

22a And they ate and drank before the Lord on that day with great gladness. 

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As we learned earlier in this spiritual journey, David wanted to build the temple as a dwelling place for God. But God had a different plan. Instead, Solomon was to build the temple--so what David did was his best to ensure his son’s success in completing the great task

We see, again, the willingness and the whole-heartedness in the Israelites’ giving; they have ‘great gladness’ while doing so.  

Meditate on this passage (vv.1-22) and seek God and His calling for you and for our church.

OFFERING

Luke 21:1-4 (ESV)

“Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.””

2 Corinthians 8:3-5 (ESV)

“For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.”

Mark 14:3 (ESV)

“And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.”

2 Samuel 24:24 (ESV)

“But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.”

Genesis 22:2 (ESV)

“He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.””

Exodus 35:39 (ESV)

“All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.”

Exodus 36:5-7 (ESV)

“and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.”  So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.”

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There’s so much to learn about offering and giving.

Offering and tithing was the command of God in the Old Testament shared from Genesis to Malachi. And we know in the New Testament, Jesus said “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17)

As we reflect on these passages of how people gave costly, radical, and sacrificial offerings, pray that God will teach us and challenge us on how to live out His commands.

PETITION

Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)

“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Psalm 55:22 (ESV)

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”

1 John 5:14-15 (ESV)

“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

2 Corinthians 3:12 (ESV)

“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold,”

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Ask:

In our struggles and needs

In our desires and wants (as we’ve been seeking in his will)

In our deepening and growing in the Lord

In our serving and sacrifice

REJOICE

1 Thessalonians 5:16 ESV

“Rejoice always,”

Philippians 4:4 ESV

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”

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Reflect on your day.  Can you rejoice in the Lord today?  

It’s a command and not a suggestion. And this is possible, not dependent on our circumstances, but in the Lord!

Let’s list things to be thankful for as we have done previously during this journey, and rejoice in the Lord. 

HARVEST

Matthew 9:36-38 (ESV)

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

John 4:35 (ESV)

Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

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Pray for the next generation: the infants/toddlers, New Life Kids Jr., New Life Kids, and the youth group.

Pray for unbelievers: those who are seeking yet coming to church, whose attended and will attend Alpha, friends and family not in the Lord

Pray that we would step up to share the Gospel and disciple them in the Word.

FAITH

Hebrews 11:8-12 (ESV)

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”

Genesis 15:5-6 ESV (repeated in Galatians 3:6)

“And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”

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The faith and obedience of Abraham to God’s calling and His promise is our guiding and leading scripture for this journey. 

Yesterday, we were encouraged to respond in faith.  

Today, would you be bold to ask God, ‘Lord, as I commit to seek you in this spiritual journey, show me what you desire of me. How are you challenging me to participate in the vision of church in the coming season?’

FAITH

Hebrews 11:1, 6-7 (ESV)

1 “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”

Romans 10:17 (ESV)

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

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In all our serving, loving, working, walking, obeying, growing, even in our receiving of salvation, we need faith.

Faith is how we relate to God.

God said “the righteous shall live by his faith.” (Hab. 2:4b, Heb. 10:38a)

Remember Noah and the flood (Gen. 6-8). Noah was known to God as a righteous man (Gen. 6:9) even before the building of an ark (because “Noah walked with God” 6:9) and known to us as one of the heroes of faith in Hebrews because, “Noah did this [building of an ark]; he did all that God commanded him.” 6:22).

We have so many uncertainties when it comes to our future both personally and corporately as a church. The scripture today is asking us to respond in faith. Knowing that God will honor our obedience to Him in our fellowship with Him and in the commitment we make.

Can you recall one moment you stepped out in faith and how God blessed your obedience? Let’s share and testify with each other.

TRUST

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

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I love the wisdom that is packed in this chapter and I encourage you to extend your reading to Proverbs 3:1-12 (meditating on trusting, fearing, and honoring the Lord).

Today’s focus of meditation and reflection is trusting in the Lord.

Can you trust God? As I read somewhere, this question can have 2 meanings:

“Can you 'trust' God?" Meaning, is He trustworthy? Can He handle the decisions and the problems in your life? Or…

"Can ‘you’ trust God?" That is, do you have the ability to trust Him?

He’s asking ALL of our heart and in ALL of our ways. Do we profess with our lips that we trust but does it also reflect in our schedules, our finances, our relationships?

Let’s spend some time in this familiar passage and let the Holy Spirit take you deeper.

Pray that God will show more of Himself to you that your understanding of who He is and your assurance of Him in your life will grow.

Also pray that God will help us grow in faith increasing our capacity to trust in Him.

REPENTENCE

Genesis‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬-‭2‬, ‭8-9 ‭(ESV‬‬)

1-2 “Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.

8-9 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭11‬:‭31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there.”

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Both in the story of the Tower of Babel and in the narrative of Terah, the father of Abraham, God’s plan for them is not to settle. I believe God wanted people to be spread out to fill the earth (as He commanded Adam and Eve, and also to Noah) and not to congregate in one place…but they settled. Also Terah’s intention was to go into the land of Canaan, but they settled at Haran. There are times where God calls us to remain and to inhabit, but not in these narratives.

Can we spend a day in prayer of repentance?

There are various forms of disobedience:

Actively going against where God is leading us (sin of commission)

Passively or simply ignoring what God asks of us (sin of omission)

Sometimes we have a bounty of resources that we are too self-reliant

Sometimes our past experiences, past successes, past hurts and disappointments speak louder than what God is telling us.

Sometimes we like our comfort and our familiarity.

Sometimes we are too tired and weary.

Sometimes we don’t trust that God will really come through.

Often we don’t want to give up anything, risk anything, sacrifice anything.

I’m sure you can add to this list.

Can we repent together for not trusting, not obeying, being self-centered and prideful?

‘Lord, let your kindness lead us to repentance’ (Rom 2:4)

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (‭‭James‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬)

“if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

‭‭“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

THANKSGIVING

1 Timothy 1:12 (ESV)

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,”

James 1:17 (ESV)

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

Ephesians 5:19-21 (ESV)

“addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Philippians 4:11-12 (ESV)

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.”

Lamentations 3:22-24 (ESV)

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.””

Psalm 9:1-2 (ESV)

“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.”

And so many Psalms sing,

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”

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Let’s continue to focus on giving thanks to the Lord.

Meditate on some of these verses or your favorite psalm.

THANKSGIVING

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭‭18‬ (‭ESV‬‬)

“give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

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We often live our lives hyper-focused on circumstances that are right in front of us. So how can we see the big picture to focus on God instead? How can we endeavor to live for His glory rather than for our personal trials or triumphs? Our perspective and attitude can change as we actively practice a heart of gratitude.

Let us pray and practice giving thanks. A heart of gratitude provides fertile ground for God to move powerfully in our lives and also for those around us. Just as grumbling can be contagious in breaking down, gratitude radiates whatever atmosphere they’re in and changes the hearts of people for the better.

We don’t want to miss out on what God is doing and what God has accomplished due to our lack of acknowledgement and thanksgiving.

Let’s think about our highs and lows, and thank God for BOTH.

DWELL

Psalm 84 (ESV)

“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God. Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!   Selah 

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. 

They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion. 

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob!     Selah 

Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed! 

For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. 

O Lord of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!”

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Let’s meditate on this beautiful Psalm today and consider the things mentioned–that to dwell in the Lord means so many things: 

A lovely place, where we desperately want to be and make our hearts sing with gladness. 

A home (a refuge and safety).

A place where you find a strength that is ever increasing.

A place far better than anywhere else.

A place where God is our sun and shield. 

To be one who receives favor and honor and abundant blessing. 

Reflect and pray for our desire to be set on the presence of God. 

The presence of God is not bound to a building, but to a people that makes their heart His home.  As Pastor Eric shared once, it is a place where people can come together and experience the tangible presence of Christ and where the broken can find healing and restoration; where the lost can find home.

Unity

Psalm 133 (ESV)

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.”

Ephesians 2:22 (ESV)

“In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.”

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We’ve unfortunately witnessed division in churches. Some of us may also have been personally hurt by them. Pray for repentance in our complicity to disunity. Pray for wisdom and discernment when faced with disunity. Pray for strength to be bold and courageous to fight for unity.

Today’s scripture describes unity as oil and dew. Anointing a priest of oil symbolizes God setting them apart and consecrating them for His divine purpose and protection. And the falling dew of the mountains symbolizes God’s blessing and favor. How amazing is it to receive God’s anointing and receive God’s blessings? Unity is that good and necessary for us as God’s people, so let's strive for unity together.

Pray through Ephesians 2:19-22

UNITY

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13 (ESV)

1-7 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 

11-13 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,”

1 Peter 4:8-11 ESV

“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Romans 12:10-13 ESV

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

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In continuation of yesterday’s devotional: Have you extended an act of love to someone yet?   

Ask God how you can better love others for the purpose of unifying the Church. 

Also, pray for all those who serve at New Life–that God would strengthen them as they grow in faith and draw from the power of the Holy Spirit. Pray that they would not become weary or discouraged, because for “those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.” (Ps. 34:10)

UNITY

1 Corinthians 12:4-12, 26-28 (ESV)

4-12 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

26-28 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.”

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For the next two days we will be reflecting on the unity of the body of Christ. 

God created us all uniquely different according to His perfect plan and will.

Firstly, worship God with a heart of gratitude for how He formed you, gifted you, and called you as His son/daughter. Secondly, think of a way that you can bless and love another person in our church community to exercise unity. Please be mindful and intentional in how to carry this out practically as you take it to the Lord in prayer.

MISSION

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

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Here’s the mission statement of New Life Fellowship:

“To become a Christ-Centered community that expands the Kingdom of God by making disciples.”

Jesus gave the Great Commission to his disciples and for all those who would follow Him. Take a moment to reflect on the commission of God. Then think about your personal mission in life. How are they aligned? How are they not aligned? And finally, think about how you can then carry out the mission that Christ has given to you in your home, community, and at New Life.

VISION

Scripture Passage: Ephesians 5:17 (ESV) Romans 8:27 (NLT)

17“Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

‭‭27‬“And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”

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The Apostle Paul exhorts the church in Ephesus to be imitators of Christ, because to do anything otherwise is to be of the world. And to be of the world ultimately leads to death. And that call is for all Christians to practice the Way of Jesus. But even still, as much as we strive for what is holy we tend to fall short. But one aspect of the sustaining grace of God is that the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf to shape our prayers, which then shapes our desires, and shapes our lives for His glory. You may not have the slightest clue of what the will of God is at this moment or you may at least have a nebulous idea of what the will of God is. Nevertheless, start this journey by trusting in what this passage says and diligently pray to make room for the Holy Spirit to shape your desires to align with the Father’s will.

BLESSED

Scripture Passage: 1 Chronicles 17:1, 4, and 16-20 (ESV)

1 “Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” 

4 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in.”

16-20 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant. For your servant’s sake, O Lord, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. There is none like you, O Lord, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.”

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David has a great and holy desire to build a house for God to dwell in as an act of worship for all He has done in his life. But David is told that he will do no such thing. Instead, God says he will bless David even more in response to his heart of worship and gratitude. God’s provision for us is far more abundant and perfect than any that of humankind. Before we give or start creating a list of what we can do for God, reflect on His provision and generosity thus far and let yourself be filled with gratitude and contentment in the One whom all blessings flow.

SEEK

Scripture Passage: Psalm 119: 105, 133, 9-11, and Amos 3:7 (ESV)

105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

133 “Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.”

9“How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

7“For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.”

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God can show up in our lives in countless ways. But there is no substitute for God's word! If you want to learn more about God's heart and become more like Him, you MUST be in the Scriptures.

Pray for yourself and for our church leaders to be diligently in the Word of God--receiving His direction, His guidance, His calling, His teaching, His protection, and His love.  Also pray that we would not fall into the temptation of self-sufficiency and/or self-centeredness. 

SEEK

Scripture Passage: Matthew 6:10, 33 (ESV)

10 “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” 33 “…seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

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As we start this journey, let’s pray for our heart to be aligned to the Father’s heart. And as you seek Him, may He reveal to you how you can experience His kingdom here on earth—in your personal life and in the life of the church.

Before we talk, plan, or react to our emotions of excitement, fear or even apathy….

Pause…bring it to God in prayer. 

“Lord, here I am, would you walk with me through this journey?  Show me your heart and what you desire to see in me and in my church.”