Good Morning Obedient, All-In, Living and Loving like Jesus Believers! Oh that is us! Pronounce that out loud over you and us today and pray it expectantly with thanksgiving as you offer yourself to God as a living sacrifice, receive His best and go love like Jesus! What joy and satisfaction you can know as you live your life well in Christ! I'm going to let you spend some more time with our Daddy this morning as you engage with Him through our devotionals below. He was really speaking to me this morning! Thanks Lord! What's He saying to you and what will you do about it? Who is helping you on that journey and who are you bringing along?
I just want to let you know that Tue afternoon we celebrated the Bread/Clothing/Pantry volunteers with a nice luncheon and last evening we celebrated a great meal with all our other church volunteers. What joy and fellowship both days. Thank God for these faithful servants and for Him using and growing us. Pray for God to continue to speak to and lead us to His best and more of Jesus in 24. I am so honored to be called to this church full of love, prayer warriors and faithful, love-filled servants! What joy!
Be still, listen, receive, journal and share with some others what you are hearing as you turn off the noise and tune into God now. he loves you and is speaking right to your heart! Shalom!
I end with a great devotional and prayer form Harvest prayer that wraps this all up so well. God loves you and has great plans for you today...choose joy, trust and follow well to His best! Shalom!
Charles Stanley:
ODB:
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When American author O. Henry wrote his beloved 1905 Christmas story “The Gift of the Magi,” he was struggling to rebound from personal troubles. Still, he penned an inspiring story that highlights a beautiful, Christlike character trait—sacrifice. In the story, an impoverished wife sells her beautiful long hair on Christmas Eve to buy a gold pocket watch chain for her husband. As she learns later, however, her husband had sold his pocket watch to buy a set of combs for her beautiful hair.
Their greatest gift to each other? Sacrifice. From each, the gesture showed great love.
In that way, the story represents the loving gifts the magi (wise men) gave to the Christ child after His holy birth (see Matthew 2:1, 11). More than those gifts, however, the Child Jesus would grow up and one day give His life for the whole world.
In our daily lives, believers in Christ can highlight His great gift by offering to others the sacrifice of our time, treasures, and a temperament that all speak of love. As the apostle Paul wrote, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). There’s no better gift than sacrificing for others through Jesus’ love.
By Patricia Raybon
REFLECT & PRAY
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What sacrificial gift have you received from someone that showed Christ’s love? What sacrificial gift can you give to others in return?
In my daily life, dear God, may I show others Jesus by sacrificing my needs for theirs.
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SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In Romans 11, Paul writes to the church at Rome about how the salvation available through Christ is offered to everyone: the faithful remnant of Israel (vv. 1-10) and the ingrafted branches of gentiles (vv. 11-24). And the hardened hearts of Israel will be softened so that all will embrace Jesus as Messiah (vv. 25-32). In the concluding verses (vv. 33-36), the apostle can’t help but burst into celebratory song over the wisdom, grace, and power of God.
Chapter 12 is a continuation of his reasoning. It begins with the word therefore, which is a classic literary signal that what’s coming is the result of what was said previously. Because God offers salvation to so many and because His wisdom is beyond scrutiny, those who’ve chosen Jesus should offer themselves as living sacrifices (v. 1), renew their minds so they’re not conformed to this world (v. 2), and be humble (v. 3).
JR Hudberg |
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UR: Something New
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. - Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)
My spouse and I have two amazing children. As they grew older and more independent, I was thrilled by my increasing freedom. But when I realized they no longer needed my assistance as much, I felt a little depressed. I worried my life would continue without anything new. Then the Lord encouraged me to volunteer in my community. Since then, I have volunteered as a Bible study leader, tutor, mentor, and served in other roles. I’ve learned a lot, met many people, and experienced many new things.
Some stages of life can cause us to fall into monotonous cycles. The lack of variety in our lives might cause us to lose hope and become depressed. Yet we must always remember God has more for us. God knows us far better than we even know ourselves. When we feel stuck in our routine, we can ask our loving Father to show us something new. It might be a fresh way of thinking, a new way to live, or another unexpected change for the better. Every day is a gift the Lord has made for us to rejoice in. God has new mercies for us today, tomorrow, and far into the future.
TODAY'S PRAYER
Almighty God, forgive us for letting fear hold us back. Help us to accept the new experiences you offer us with joy and courage. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.TWFYT:
Harvest Prayer
December 7 - Come as a Devoted Child
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God the Father wants to hear from us in prayer. I believe He wants us to stretch our hands to Him in humble submission to His authority, rule, reign, and loving kindness. He wants to commune with us as a daddy communes with his devoted child. He wants us to surrender ourselves to His godly judgment and will for our lives. God wants to bless us so that we can be a blessing to others. When we pray, let us pray to “our Father who is in heaven; holy is His name, and may His kingdom come.” When we pray to God the Father may we be transcended beyond the reality and connotations of our earthly father to an intimate, eternal relationship with the perfect true and benevolent, almighty God.
Benevolent, Almighty God, Your child is crying out to You! I am longing to have faith to surrender my whole self into Your hands without holding anything back. I’m not sure why I will trust You with some areas of my life and not with others, but I know that You are patiently loving me towards full surrender. Thank You, Father, for You are True, Right and Perfect. Holy is Your Name alone!
--Taken from Giving Ourselves to Prayer: An Acts 6:4 Primer for Ministry (Chapter 4, God the Father and Prayer by Patricia A. Outlaw). This resource is available at prayershop.org. Use the code CONPSP3 at checkout to receive an additional 10% discount on the book.
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- Praise God even in your weakness, believing that in Christ, when you are weak, then you are strong (2 Cor. 12:10).
- Thank God for opportunities to serve him with perseverance and purpose.
- Confess those times when you chose to believe that spiritual power comes from within you.
- Commit yourself to appropriate “boasting” in your weaknesses so that Christ’s power might be made even more evident in your life (12:9).
- Ask God to help you “delight” even in the tough times of life.
- Pray that Christians in every part of the globe will be strengthened to do battle with the evil spiritual forces that are at work in our world. Pray for an outpouring of God’s power throughout his church worldwide.
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