by One Church | Aug 25, 2019 | 21 Days of Prayer - Aug 2019
Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
Romans 12:15 (NKJV)
I love the game of golf, but I don’t play very often. Mainly because I don’t have anyone to go with. Someone asked me, “why don’t you just go by yourself?” My answer was easy, “because no one would be there to celebrate with me when I hit a great shot!” I think we all want someone around when things are going great and even when things aren’t going great at all. That’s why we are so passionate about Community Groups at One Church. You need someone to celebrate your biggest wins and to pick you up in your most difficult losses. God has never intended for us to do life alone. Get signed up for a group and commit to being there whenever possible. I believe God will do something great in your life when you take this step of faith.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you that in this 21 days I have grown closer to you. Thank you for everything you’ve done – those things I know about and the things that I haven’t realized yet. Thank you for giving me people to do life with. Help me to surround myself with people to cheer me on, build me up, and encourage me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen
by One Church | Aug 24, 2019 | 21 Days of Prayer - Aug 2019
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.
Acts 16:25-26 (NIV)
Each day we wake up with a choice. We can spend our day worrying about our problems, or we can choose to praise. There is something powerful about praising – and not just when things are going well, but even and especially when things are going wrong.! No matter your season or situation, you get to choose if you’re going to complain or you’re going to praise! Complaining keeps our eyes on the natural, but praising lifts our eyes to the supernatural. When I praise it shifts my focus from the problem to the solution! Whatever you’re going through, praise God in the process. When you lift your voice to God, God will lift you up.
Prayer:
God, thank you for giving me the weapon of praise. I thank you for your goodness and your mercy. I declare that you are worthy of all the praise when I’m on the mountain top and when I’m in the valley. You are good, even when my situation isn’t. Thank you for making a way when I don’t see a way. In Jesus’ name, Amen
by One Church | Aug 23, 2019 | 21 Days of Prayer - Aug 2019
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
2 Corinthians 4:7 (NKJV)
I loved the Indiana Jones movies growing up! The other day I started watching one with my son and I was reminded of why I loved the movies so much. The main character is on a quest to find treasure that had been lost. Finding something that is hidden is such an awesome thing. The Bible tells us that God has put treasure inside each of us. That means we don’t have to scour the earth in foreign lands to find buried treasure – God has put a treasure inside each of us! You were born rich! I’m not saying you were born into wealth. I’m saying that you were born rich with potential. Even if you haven’t discovered all the potential God has put inside you, that doesn’t mean that it’s not there. It just means you have some searching to do.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for giving me potential. Thank you for giving me time, talent, and treasure. Lord, help me to bring glory to your name through whatever I do. In Jesus’ name, Amen
by One Church | Aug 22, 2019 | 21 Days of Prayer - Aug 2019
My dad was the principal of a Christian school when I was growing up. In that school we got “swats”. Which means if we broke the rules, we went to the principal’s office and got spanked with a large wooden paddle. That paddle and I were well acquainted.
I remember one time, girl in my class broke the rules and was sent to the principal’s office. I don’t remember her offense; I just remember she was genuinely sorry for what she had done. She had been sentenced to 6 swats, and that’s when her father and my dad (the principal) made an incredible decision. “I will take 3 swats if you take 3,” my dad told her father. They agreed that somebody had to take the swats and both of them took the punishment in her place. What an amazing picture of what Jesus has done for us! The punishment had to be carried out because the law demanded it but Jesus took our punishment for us! That is what grace looks like. God’s grace is so much greater than my sin.
Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for taking my punishment for me. Thank you that even though my sin is so great, your grace is so much greater. In Jesus’ name, Amen
by One Church | Aug 21, 2019 | 21 Days of Prayer - Aug 2019
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Galatians 6:7 (NKJV)
I’m not a gardener, but on occasion we decide to take on the task. One day my wife and I were on an expedition to buy seeds to plant. We went to our local hardware store and began to look through the seed packets. On the seed packet was a picture of the plant that was represented in the seeds. I knew that if I wanted the plant in the picture, then I had to plant that seed. We all understand this principle when it comes to gardening, but not everyone realizes that it extends into every area of your life. The seeds you sow will be the fruit you reap. So, if you don’t like the fruit you are seeing in your life then you must change the seed you are sowing. If you want kindness, sow kindness. If you want finances, sow money. If you want promotion, sow hard work. Sow what you want to see in a future harvest.
Prayer:
God, thank you for giving me seeds to sow in my life. For every wrong seed that I’ve sown, I curse that seed in my life and today I choose to sow good seed into my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen
by One Church | Aug 20, 2019 | 21 Days of Prayer - Aug 2019
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed
into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV)
When I was younger I traveled a lot with my grandpa. When we were on the road I asked the question every kid asks on a long trip, “Are we there yet?” My grandpa would always respond the same way, “No, but we’re closer than when we started.” He was telling me, in his own way, that even though we weren’t there yet we were getting closer by the minute. Process can be frustrating sometimes. We can start to do well but eventually, we mess up. In those moments our tendency is to beat ourselves up for the mistake. Essentially we are beating ourselves up for not being to the destination yet. Salvation is something that happens instantly but sanctification is a process. Next time you mess up remember that even though you aren’t there yet…You are so much closer than when you started.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you that even though I’m not where I want to be, I’m not where I used to be. Thank you for taking me from glory to
glory. Thank you for changing me each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen
