Have you ever been completely satisfied with something you owned until you saw someone else's?

Maybe you loved your vehicle until your neighbor bought a newer one. Maybe your house seemed perfect until you walked into someone else's. Or maybe you were happy with your phone until the newest version came out.

Nothing changed about what you had.

But suddenly, it didn't seem quite as good anymore.

Jesus warned, "Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own." Luke 12:15, NLT

That's a truth we need to hear in a world that constantly tells us we need more.
Comparison has a way of making us overlook the good things already in our lives. Instead of recognizing what we've been given, we begin focusing on what someone else has.
And the problem with comparison is that there's always going to be someone with something newer, bigger, or better.

Jesus invites us to find our identity and purpose in something that doesn't change with our circumstances.

Your value isn't determined by your possessions, your income, or how your life compares to someone else's.

You matter to God because He loves you.

Today's Challenge: Identify one area where comparison has affected your contentment. Instead of focusing on what someone else has, thank God for something He's already provided in your life.

Father, forgive me for the times I've allowed comparison to steal my gratitude. Help me recognize Your goodness and find my identity in You rather than in what I own.

'  “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.   But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.   For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.   '

Matthew 6:19-21 NIV

Have you ever looked at your bank statement and wondered where all your money went? Sometimes the little purchases add up faster than we realize. A meal here, a subscription there, something we ordered because it was on sale.
But what if our spending could tell us something about more than our finances?

Jesus said, "Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." (Matthew 6:21, NLT)

That's an interesting statement because Jesus doesn't just say we spend money on things we care about. He teaches that the things we invest in can actually shape what we care about.

Think about how much attention you give something after you've invested your money, time, or energy into it. Suddenly, you're checking on it, thinking about it, and making plans around it.

Our investments influence our interests.
That's why Jesus challenges us to think carefully about where we're storing our treasure. He's not saying we can't enjoy the things we have. He's inviting us to build our lives around something greater than things that eventually wear out, break, or lose their value.
Following Jesus changes what we consider valuable.

Today's Challenge: Take a few minutes to think about where you've invested most of your time, energy, and resources lately. Do those investments reflect what you want to matter most in your life?

Jesus, help me recognize what I've been treating as most important. Teach me to invest my life in things that matter to You.

When I was in high school, we would go on competitive academic trips (UIL, Science Olympiad, etc) where we were given a specific amount of money for each meal. We were each individually busy at different times and they trusted us to go grab food on our own at the different conference centers. I always loved a good competition, so much that I could make one all up on my own. 

While others would go spend all of their money, and some of their own, I would find the cheapest options. At the end of the trip I was always so proud to be able to come home with more money than I left there with. On one particular trip, my teacher asked what we ate that day, and I excitedly shared I had in fact made $50 that day. Rather than being excited for me she just said, “Why wouldn’t you spend the money? That’s why we gave it to you?”

1 Peter 4:10: "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

In Matthew 25:14–30, Jesus tells the story of a master who entrusts bags of gold (talents) to his servants according to their abilities. The servants who use what they were given are praised as "good and faithful servants," while the one who hides his talent out of fear is rebuked 

The day will come when we will go before God, and we will be able to say “This is what you gave me (Time, Talent, Money) and this is what I did with it.”

Will we be showing that we used what he gave us for his glory? Will we show that we were generous with what he gave us? Will we say, even in my exhaustion, I gave my talent and time. Even in financial uncertainty, I trusted you and gave back to you. 
Or will we go before him and say, look what I saved? I didn’t use anything you gave me for what it was intended for.  

'  “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them.   To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,  each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.   The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more.   So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more.   But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.      “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.   The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’      “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’      “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’      “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’      “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.   So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’      “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?   Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.      “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags.   For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.   And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’   '

Matthew 25:14-30 NIV

God, Help us to be grateful with the time, talent, and money that you have given us to use for the furthering of your kingdom. Help us to trust you enough that even in our uncertainty of being rejected, or that we will not have enough money, that you will take care of us.

There is a children’s story about a little mouse that was trying to get home. He went through several obstacles, where he fell down a hole, rolled down a hill into thorns, and on and on. The mouse was naturally frustrated, just look at all that continued to go wrong. What the mouse couldn’t see was that at each spot, there was a predator who was trying to eat the little mouse. His fall into the hole kept him from being snatched by the hawk. The thorns kept the snake away from him. When he finally gets home, the momma mouse reminds him that it could always be so much worse. 

Gratitude can be easier when things are going well. When the team is winning. When the bills are paid. When we have had our naps. When the doctor's report is all positive. When life looks how we pictured it. 

I love the song ‘Praise” by Elevation worship that we sing. It talks about praise in every location and situation. The bridge says:

I'll praise 'cause You're sovereign
Praise 'cause You reign
Praise 'cause You rose and defeated the grave
I'll praise 'cause You're faithful
Praise 'cause You're true
Praise 'cause there's nobody greater than You

Sometimes we forget that God’s character, his grace, and love has not changed based on what is going on around us. No matter what our world looks like, God is worthy of praise and gratitude. 

Psalm 150:6
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
This doesn’t say let everything that has breath praise the lord.. When or if things are going well. There is no clarifying word to shift when it is situational. 

We are called to praise because of who God is, not because of where we are. If nothing ever gets better, if life just continues to get harder, even if … God is still worthy to be praised, because the Cross changed everything. 

Maybe we should take a lesson from the little mouse today. We should be praised in every situation, because we don’t know what all God has protected us from, even in our seasons that are the hardest.

God, Thank you for all that you do. I may not love the season that I am in, but I know that you are good and you are faithful, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. I will continue to remind myself that you are in control and that you have my situation in your hands. Because you love me, I can trust you. I can say thank you even in my heartbreak.

Our children are extremely busy, but within the last week it felt as if it all came to a head. A late night that turned into an early morning, which resulted in a few hours of sleep. However, even in the middle of the insane schedule I said, “This is just a season, soon I will miss the busy, and knowing that, I refuse to miss any of my kids' events.” This sounds extremely noble, however, I was happy to set down my work out schedule and bible study time, saying that I could pick those back up next week, when we gained some time back. 

Have you ever wondered what the treasure is that Jesus references in Matthew 6? Typically we always jump to money, which isn’t wrong since one of the main themes in Matthew 6 is referencing the false sense of security that comes from Material wealth. However, I can't help but wonder if there is more to it. I wonder if this is referencing our time and energy as well. 

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
 Matthew 6:21

The things that you say yes to, and continue to say yes to over and over again are the things that are shaping our lives, who we become, and what we are treasuring or in other words, what we value above all else. We declare the value of something by how much time, energy, or money we are willing to spend on it. So when Jesus says, where your treasure is, there your heart will be also, the reality is that your treasure is what you value. That can be your money, but that can also be your time. We can very clearly see what we value above all else, but what we continue to say yes to. 

Maybe it would be helpful if we did a small amount of self reflection. I can’t actually hear your answers, but between God and yourself, maybe answer these questions:

What in this last week did you spend the most time on? What did you continue to say yes to, even though you were tired? Where would you absolutely never miss, no matter how busy your week is?

Was it in the bible? Was it sharing the Gospel? Was it attending your life group? Or serving at the church? Or was it your family events? Work? Or scrolling on your phone?

If the answer isn’t focused on God, we should probably take a deeper look at what idols we have created.

God,
 Open our eyes to the idols that we have created. Help us to be honest with ourselves, as we take a look where we may have created idols in our lives that you intended to be blessings, and we in our selfish nature have turned into something far more than it should have been. Help us to be grateful for the blessings, but for us to keep our focus on the giver, not the gift.

When our kids were younger, they begged to have another dog. We had an older dog that they loved desperately, but he was getting a little cranky and didn’t want to play anymore with them. The kids begged for a dog, and during Covid, we finally caved.

When we took the dog home, we had two very different responses. Though all our kids were excited, two of the three were enamored by the dog. Playing with him. Hugging him. Fighting over who got to hold him, while our oldest turned from the puppy, looked to us and thanked us with a big hug.

The reality of our lives is that so often, we pray for blessings, and then we turn the blessings that we prayed for into our idols.

In Exodus 3:22, God gives instruction for leaving Egypt.

22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters.

Which was a strange set of instructions for the israelites, considering they were slaves in this land, begging for salvation, but we can see in Exodus 12 that they do follow the instruction, and not only did God rescue them from the slavery, they left the land wealthy. The Lord intended for that wealth to be a blessing. However, we can see in their story, and often in ours, that we elevate the goodness of the gift over the goodness of the giver.

2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,[b] Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

In Exodus 32:2-4 they took that same gold that God sent them out of the land with, and created an idol from it. God is a good father. He wants to bless us, but we need to remember that the goodness of the things that God will give us, will NEVER exceed the goodness of God himself.

God help us to remember your goodness. Help us to not just be glad for the gift, but grateful for the giver. Help us to want the relationship with you more than the gifts themselves. As we go through our week, help us to find a multitude of what we would normally overlook, and see it as a beautiful blessing from the God who loves us.

Our boys have money that they earn from doing their own work, however, they also have money that we give them for school trips or lunches. It is amazing the difference in my children’s spending, depending on whose money they have in their hand. If Jonathan and I are buying, my children are happy to swipe the card. You have a drink, you have a pizza, and you have a candy bar! If it comes down to their money, they will starve because they didn’t want to spend their money. What changed? Whose it was. 

When we recognize that all that we have is God’s, it becomes easier to be freer in the giving of it away. When we know that our money is only in our bank because God gave you the talent, and education to get the check, it becomes easier to give your tithe. When you know you have the talent you have, because God gave it to you, it becomes easier to use the talent for God. When time is short, but we know that God gave us this day, it becomes easier to serve at the church, or host a life group in our home. The amount we had did not change, but the perspective of whose it was, changes everything. 

In 1 Chronicles 29:14 it says:

“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.”

Most days we don’t give God that immediate obedience, we don’t even give him a delayed obedience, we like to give God our ”No.” Here is the truth though, When God wants a yes from us, whether that is our money, time, energy, or talent, and we give him a “No”, we should expect pushback. You can just ask Jonah...
In James 4:6 it says

6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”[a]      
James 4:6

Our “No” to God, is really just us saying, “I know better”, and I can’t trust you with what is important to me. However, when you are grateful, truly and whole heartedly grateful, you are naturally generous. When we know that everything that I have is only mine, because God gave it to me, it is easier to be generous with it.

God, help us remember that it all comes from you. Help us to be generous with our time, talent, and money, because it is really all yours.

11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
  Luke 17:11–19 (NIV)

Theme: Gratitude turns our attention from the gift to the Giver, without requiring us to hide our grief or unanswered questions.
When a burden lifts, it is easy to move straight into whatever comes next. The relief we longed for becomes part of yesterday, and another concern takes its place. Other times, relief is only partial: we receive help with one need while another remains painfully unresolved. In either situation, gratitude invites us to pause—not to declare that everything is well, but to acknowledge the good we have actually received.

Receiving and Recognizing
In Luke 17, ten people with leprosy call to Jesus for mercy. He directs them to show themselves to the priests, and they are cleansed as they go. One, seeing that he has been healed, returns, praising God and thanking Jesus at His feet. Jesus draws attention to the fact that ten were cleansed, yet only one returned to give glory to God.
The returning man does more than enjoy changed circumstances: he turns toward Jesus and acknowledges the One through whom mercy has come. His gratitude responds to healing already received; it does not earn the miracle. The healing comes before his return. The passage does not explain why the other nine did not come back, so we need not invent their motives to notice the response Luke places before us.

Gratitude That Makes Room for Grief
After considering unanswered prayer, comfort amid tragedy, and offering what we have, we must not turn gratitude into another demand placed on a hurting person. Giving thanks does not require calling a tragedy good, finding a reason for every loss, or pretending that the answer we still long for no longer matters. We can thank God for care we have received and still tell Him how deeply we hurt.
Luke describes a miraculous healing. A listening friend, a shared meal, or strength to face a difficult day is not automatically the same kind of event. Yet we can receive such care gratefully without needing to label every kindness a miracle. Gratitude acknowledges a gift; it does not exaggerate it. And when gratitude feels difficult, we can bring that difficulty to God honestly rather than manufacture a feeling.

Returning Today
Take a moment to name one gift or act of care you can genuinely acknowledge. You might offer a simple prayer of thanks or thank someone who has helped you. Then name what remains unresolved. Bring both to God: the gratitude you can honestly express and the request you still carry. Returning to Him is not a bargain for another miracle. It is a response to mercy already received.

Reflection Questions
· What gift or act of care, if any, can I honestly give thanks for today? How might I pause to acknowledge it?
· What grief or unanswered prayer do I still need to bring to God, without feeling that gratitude requires me to silence it?
· Is there someone I would like to thank for the care they have shown me?

Lord Jesus, help me notice the mercy and care I have received and turn toward You with honest thanks. Keep me from treating gratitude as a payment for Your help or a way to secure the answer I want. You also know the grief I carry and the prayers that remain unanswered. Help me bring them to You without shame or pretense. When thankfulness feels difficult, meet me in that struggle. Teach me to acknowledge what is good without calling my pain good, and to thank those who have shown me kindness. I bring You both my gratitude and my longing. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near. 5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” 8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. 12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
John 6:1–13 (NIV)
 
Theme: We cannot control the miracle, but we can offer God what we have—even when it feels too small for the need.
 
We have considered how God’s comfort can sustain us and, when we are ready, help us care for others. But what if another person’s need feels larger than anything we can give? Today, we turn to Jesus’ provision in John 6 and consider the difference between offering what is available and controlling what happens next.
Two days before Christmas, as a pastor, I was called to the scene of an accident. A young couple with a small baby had witnessed a terrible accident. Though they were not hurt, the emotional trauma they experienced left them in deep distress. What could I possibly say or do for them that could help? I had no words. But I said a quick, simple prayer before approaching the couple—“God help me.” Then I began talking to the young mother and father who were clearly distressed and we said another prayer asking God to meet us there. The couple calmed down somewhat but the baby could clearly sense the stress in both parents as the mother tried to bottle feed her baby. I offered to hold the baby and try feeding it. The mom immediately said, “Yes, please.” As I held the child in my arms, I talked quietly and calmly and even hummed a little and watched as the child relaxed and took the bottle. The mother was in awe. But what had I done? I offered myself to God and simply asked for help. And God showed up. I experienced His help in a way that felt miraculous to me, though I would not equate that moment with the multiplication of the loaves. John describes Jesus feeding a crowd from five small barley loaves and two small fish; my story describes receiving God’s help in a moment of care. The connection is not that the events are identical, but that feeling inadequate need not keep us from bringing what is available. In today’s Scripture, Philip saw the cost of feeding the crowd. Andrew noticed the food available but questioned how far it could go. Neither assessment made the need disappear. Yet verse 6 tells us that Jesus already knew what He would do. The disciples’ limited resources were not the limit of His power. Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed the food. Everyone had enough, and twelve baskets of pieces remained. The abundance came through Jesus, not through anyone’s ability to make a small supply sufficient. At the accident scene, I could not undo what the family had witnessed. What I could offer was a simple prayer, a quiet voice, and willing arms when the mother welcomed my help. Perhaps you also face a need that you cannot solve. You may not have the right words or enough resources to change the whole situation. Still, there may be one useful, welcome act of care within reach. We can offer what is available without pretending that we can produce the outcome. Our offering is not a bargain that obligates God to multiply it; it is a response of trust that leaves the result with Him.
Take a moment to bring your own situation before God. Rather than asking whether you have enough to solve it, consider what you can willingly offer and what you need to leave in His hands.

Reflection
What need feels greater than what I can offer? What practical help could I offer today, with the other person’s permission and without taking responsibility for an outcome I cannot control?

Lord Jesus, You see the needs that overwhelm me and the limits of what I can give. Help me ask for Your help rather than wait until I feel completely adequate. Give me wisdom to listen, respect others’ wishes, and offer what is genuinely useful. Keep me from confusing my willingness with control over the outcome. I bring You what I have and trust You with what I cannot do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

14 When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them. 15 As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. 16 “What are you arguing with them about?” he asked. 17 A man in the crowd answered, “Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. 18 Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.” 19 “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” 20 So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. 22 “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” 23 “ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” 25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” 26 The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. 28 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.”
Mark 9:14–29 (NIV)

Theme: We can bring Jesus both our hope and our doubt, asking for help without pretending to have complete certainty.
After considering God’s comfort amid tragedy, another question may remain: How do I pray when I still hope for help but struggle to believe it will come? Perhaps you begin a prayer with confidence, only to remember an earlier disappointment. You want to ask, yet part of you hesitates. Today’s passage gives us a picture of someone who brings that very tension to Jesus.

A Request That Holds Hope and Doubt
A father has brought his son to Jesus’ disciples, but they have been unable to drive out the spirit tormenting him. When Jesus arrives, the father describes suffering that has continued since childhood and asks Him to have compassion and help, if He can. Jesus challenges that uncertainty about His ability. The father responds by affirming his belief and immediately asking for help with his unbelief.
His response is not polished or perfectly settled. It holds trust and struggle in the same breath. He does not hide his uncertainty or wait until he has resolved it before asking for help. His need becomes part of his prayer. We, too, can tell Jesus what we hope for and where believing feels difficult. Honest prayer need not sound more certain than we actually feel.

The Miracle Is Not a Measure of a Parent’s Faith
Jesus commands the spirit to leave, then takes the boy by the hand and raises him. Mark describes a particular act of deliverance through Jesus’ authority. We must not turn this account into a formula promising the same outcome for every family. Coming after yesterday’s account of loss, that distinction matters deeply: a child’s outcome is not a measure of a parent’s faith. This passage gives us no basis for telling a grieving parent that greater confidence would have prevented a tragedy.
Jesus’ words about what is possible call attention to God’s power, not our ability to secure a desired result by feeling certain enough. We can ask boldly without claiming to know how He will answer. And we can acknowledge the pain of an unanswered prayer without treating it as proof that we—or someone we love—failed to believe.
Prayer as Dependence, Not a Technique
Later, the disciples privately ask why they could not drive the spirit out. Jesus points them to prayer. Rather than reading this as a technique for controlling a miracle, we can hear an invitation to dependence on God. The disciples could not meet this need through their own capacity. Neither can we make outcomes ours to command.
Today, your prayer can be simple: name the help you long for, acknowledge the doubt or disappointment you carry, and ask God to meet you there. You do not have to force yourself into certainty before approaching Him. Bring what is true. This prepares us for tomorrow’s question about offering what we have: we can come to God with limited resources and with faith that still needs help.

Reflection Questions
·  What help am I hoping for, and what makes it difficult to bring that request to God?
· Have I felt pressure to sound certain when I pray? What would an honest prayer of both hope and doubt sound like today?
· Am I carrying blame for an outcome I could not control? Who could listen and pray with me without judging my faith?

Lord Jesus, I bring You the help I long for and the uncertainty I struggle to admit. Some days I trust readily; other days disappointment makes it hard to ask again. Help me come honestly rather than pretend. Strengthen my faith without making me deny my grief or blame myself for an outcome I could not control. Teach me to depend on You in prayer, not to treat prayer as a way to command Your response. Give me courage to ask, freedom to speak my questions, and people who will listen and pray with me. I bring You both my hope and my doubt. Meet me here. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
2 Corinthians 1:3–11 (NIV)
 
Theme: God’s comfort does not erase our grief; it sustains us in it and equips us to comfort others.
 
Twelve years ago, we lost our middle son to suicide. The loss was overwhelming. I struggled to find answers from God. Where was the God who parted the Red Sea? Why couldn’t he have saved my son? Yet even in the most devastating loss imaginable, God still showed up. I still remember turning on the TV to watch the same preacher my wife had been watching for years. And on that particular day, he preached the message using the verses found in the opening Scriptures that still resonates with me today. Paul’s words bring us face-to-face with suffering, not around it. In verses 8–9, he acknowledges pressure beyond his ability to endure. His honesty makes room for ours: feeling overwhelmed does not mean we have failed to believe. Earlier, in verses 3–7, Paul describes comfort received in trouble and shared with others. Comfort is not an explanation for every loss, nor a demand that grief end quickly. It is God’s care meeting us where we hurt and sustaining us as we endure. Paul also looks back on deliverance and asks others to help through prayer in verses 10–11. We can keep bringing our needs to God without turning Paul’s experience into a promise that every tragedy will be prevented. Where, then, are the miracles in the midst of tragedy? This passage invites us to look for God’s sustaining care without calling the tragedy itself good. We can ask for rescue and receive comfort. We can carry unanswered questions and allow others to pray with us. And we can offer another hurting person the comfort we have received—not a tidy explanation, but compassion that makes room for their grief.

Reflection Questions
·       What grief or unanswered question am I carrying today? What would I like to say honestly to God, without feeling that I must explain my pain or rush past it?
·       Where, if anywhere, have I noticed comfort amid my trouble? Who could I invite to listen or pray with me, especially if comfort feels difficult to recognize right now?
·       When I feel ready, how might I share the comfort I have received with someone who is hurting—through listening, prayer, or simply being present, without trying to explain their loss?

Father of compassion, You know the grief I carry and the questions I cannot resolve. Help me come to You honestly, without pretending that my pain has passed or that I understand what has happened. Meet me with Your comfort and sustain me through this day. When comfort feels far away, help me reach out to someone who can listen and pray with me. Teach me to receive care without feeling that I must be strong on my own. As I am ready, help me share the comfort I receive with others—not with easy answers, but with patience, compassion, and a willingness to be present. I bring You my hopes and unanswered prayers. Help me trust You while making room for grief. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture Reading:
"Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you." — Jeremiah 32:17
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." — Hebrews 13:8
 
Theme: God’s power has not changed; we can keep asking for His help and notice His sustaining work while we wait.
 
When we read the pages of Scripture, God’s power feels loud. We see the Red Sea parting, bread falling from heaven, and blind eyes snapping open.
 
But then we close our Bibles and face our own bank accounts, diagnoses, or broken relationships. What concern comes to your mind—the prayer you keep repeating, the answer you await, or the situation you cannot change? Bring it into today’s devotional. When nothing seems to happen, the silence can feel deafening.
 
Does God still work miracles today, or are we just wasting our time asking for them? Almost every believer asks this at some point. Today, we will hold together two truths: we can keep asking God to move in our circumstances and notice His sustaining work while we wait.
 
The Tension We Face
Perhaps a sick loved one has not gotten better, or the bill came due despite your prayer for financial rescue. The God of Elijah and the miracles of the early Church in Acts can feel like a historical movie—epic and inspiring, yet far from your Tuesday morning. This struggle to connect Scripture with daily life can become a kind of spiritual amnesia, stirring doubts about whether God has changed or miracles have ended. You do not have to pretend the waiting is easy.
 
The Scriptures we read today anchor us to God’s nature, not simply to what we can see in our circumstances. Jeremiah 32:17 directs us to His creative power; Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that Jesus Christ has not changed. God cannot change: the One who worked miracles 2,000 years ago has not lost His power today. The outstretched arm that flung stars into space has not grown tired or short. That gives us reason to keep asking, even when we do not know how or when He will answer.
 
Shifting Our Eyes
Alongside the answer you are hoping for, where might you notice God’s sustaining work today? That answer still matters. But looking only for the spectacular—the thunder, lightning, or physical parting of seas—can keep us from seeing the supernatural work before us.
 
Consider this: healing a broken bone and healing a heart shattered by bitterness for twenty years both matter. Multiplying physical loaves of bread and giving a desperate person supernatural peace in the middle of a tragedy both reveal God’s care. That peace surpasses all human understanding, but it does not make the need for bread disappear. Noticing His work within us does not require us to stop asking Him to change what is happening around us.
 
God is still in the miracle business—altering our physical reality and reaching deep within us. He alters us: giving strength for one more day, whispering comfort to the brokenhearted, and transforming dead spirits into living, breathing creations. This is not a consolation prize, but part of His work as we keep bringing Him our needs.
 
When God seems silent, we do not have to conclude that He is absent. His quiet work can be like the workspace of a Master Craftsman, working beneath the surface. We may not yet recognize what He is doing, and the waiting may still hurt. We can receive His sustaining care without needing to label every quiet provision a miracle or stop asking for the change we long for. Today, we can bring Him our honest request, look for His sustaining care, and trust Him without claiming to understand every silence.

Reflection Questions
·   What am I asking God to do in my life right now? What has the waiting felt like, and where can I recognize a quiet way, He is sustaining me without minimizing the answer I still long for?
·   Has disappointment made it difficult for me to bring my deepest hopes to God? What honest prayer can I offer Him today, even while I am unsure how He will answer?

Lord, You know the concern I named today and the answer I am still hoping for. Sometimes the gap between the Bible and my daily life feels incredibly wide. I confess that I can put Your power in a box or assume You have stopped moving. Forgive me and meet me in the questions I find difficult to say aloud. Strengthen my faith as I wait. Give me spiritual eyes to notice the peace You provide, the strength You give, and the ways You are holding my life together. Help me recognize Your work without pretending that my unanswered prayer no longer hurts. Help me to trust Your heart, even when I cannot see Your hand. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Kasen is a huge snack guy. THere are more meals than I can count where Kasen just doesn’t feel hungry. However, when we ask him what he has eaten today, he could list off two pages of junk. So the reason he doesn’t want to eat the food on the table is not because his body doesn’t need the good food, it is just that he filled his stomach up with food that he didn’t need.

Our time and life is the same way. We will only have a set amount of hours in our day. Our time is limited, and we are busy! Between work, school, extracurriculars, and we are suppose to find time to work out, cook dinner, and make sure the supplies have been picked up for the project we just found out about, but is due tomorrow. 

However, if we think about our day as limited, the same should also apply to sin. The way to deal with sin is to overwhelm it with the Holy Spirit. If we full our day with the Holy Spirit, then there is no room for sin. 

If you fill up with the good stuff, there is no room for the junk food! We can fill up with the Holy Spirit by getting in God’s word daily, singing worship, joining a life group where we hold each other accountable in true Godly love, and shifting your perspective to God focused thinking. 

The more I fill up with the Holy Spirit, the less there is room for sin to come up. 

God help us to fill up with the holy spirit. Help us to stay in your word, listen to worship songs and keep our focus on you. We know that sin can only be defeated by you, so we ask that you fill us up, so that there is no more room for sin to be in our hearts and minds. Thank you for who you are. We love you! 

We watched a video in our youth group in the early 2000s. Think of this video as something that was grainy even in the 2000s, as I am sure it was old even then! The video starts with runners lining up at the starting line on a track.  As the gun sounded, the students started running, and some stopped the race and went off to go into the party scene, some ran off for a boyfriend/girlfriend, some for food, some for shopping, and on and on. Only one of the students stayed on the track and managed to get all the way through the race of temptations. When it came time to hand out the trophy, the runner who made it through did not get onto the podium. Surprised, the runner saw another person who never even lined up on the track get the trophy. The announcer let the runner know that the true runners avoided the pull of temptation all together.

Jesus is not being literal, he is making a point. The best defense is a good offense.


If social media is eating up all your time, delete your account. If you are struggling with money or credit card debt, delete the app that you keep spending money at. Don't walk around the TJ Maxx in your free time, or cut up the credit card all together. If it is alcohol, don’t even go get food in the same place that serves it. Remove yourself from the race with temptation.

The most important part of trying to win any game or battle is having a plan, stick to the plan, and whatever you do, don’t try to do it alone.

This is one of the most important parts of why the Church was created. Yes, we are on a mission to share the gospel with everyone, but it is hard to do that if we are constantly battling the sinful desires of our hearts. (Seems like maybe the Devil has a game plan, maybe we should also!)

If you are not a part of a life group, you should be! Find a group that you can trust to share your heart with, your struggles, and they can be praying for you and help with accountability.

f you are not in a lifegroup, then you are not receiving the blessing of having others carry your burden, and you are removing the blessing for yourself, since you can't help carry the burdens in the group without being there!

God,
Help us to face our sin head on by making a plan, finding a life group to help us carry the burden, and lean more every day on you. Help us to be brave, share the struggles, and by getting the sin out of the darkness, allowing it to no longer grow. We know you work all things for good, and trust you to take our fear of judgment and rejection, and turn it into the stepping stone for others to also be brave.

My husband took the kids in my new car to the movies one night. To save a little time and money, they grabbed supper and ate in the car on the way. All of a sudden that new car smell was long gone. 

When I got into my car the following morning, I could tell you exactly what everyone ordered, and wondered who got onions. Some foods are worse than others, (you can most certainly smell an onion from a mile away), but all food is going to leave a lingering smell, especially when the trash is just left laying around. 

I didn’t hate my car. The engine still ran beautifully, the seats were comfortable, and it had room for all my kids. But I did hate the smell of it. 

Hate is not commonly seen as a virtue, but in Romans 12:9, we are told to hate sin. Hate is the precursor to “hold fast to what is good”

Without the hating of evil and sin, we diminish our ability to love. Rather than comparing ourselves to other sin and saying that our sin is simply not that bad, we would hate it. We can’t beat the sin in our lives without Jesus, and his sacrifice, and we can’t ask for help if we are constantly diminishing it through comparison to others. We need to hate the sin in our hearts.

Our hearts and minds are in a battle with our sinful desires. God’s word indicates that dealing with sin is like a battle-something has to die.

So how can we do that? How do we put to death the sinful things?

Step 1 in getting rid of our sin is acknowledging that we have it.
Step 2 is hating the sin in our hearts, because ignoring it, or comparing it to others to minimize it, only allows it to grow.

Tomorrow we will look at Step 3!

God, I hate the sin that is filling my heart and mind. I hate the sin that I justify by comparing it to others. Lord, you know even more sin within me than I even know, but I also know that you can help me to get rid of this. I know that you are the only one who can help break the hold that it has on my heart, mind, and body. I know that it won’t be easy, but I also know it will be worth it.

When my boys were younger, they would bicker with each other, which would always turn into a knock out brawl. When we reached the fight, we would see the last hit, but not the 

Now whether you are a believer and follower of Jesus or you just live by a moral code handed to you by your family. There are actions that we would all agree are wrong, but sin is a much deeper issue than the standard don’t steal, kill, and cheat. We all have a sin problem. 

Reminder from our time together yesterday- Sin is not being perfect. We all have sin, but we love to compare our sins to others. We all think that it isn’t lying or envy that matter, because we rank our sins by our own standards. Obviously Murder is bad, but a speeding ticket? Cheating on your taxes? Snapping at a co-worker in anger? These are not such a big deal. We can justify speeding, lying or being short-tempered because we were tired, stressed, in a hurry. Surely these are not on the same level as murder!

Jesus knew we would measure our own sins against the sins of others. He knew we would try to make ourselves out to be better, somehow. 

In science a Litmus test is taking a small strip of paper and dipping it into a liquid. When that paper is pulled up from the liquid, it will change colors to let the tester know if it was an acid or base. This is meant to be an easy test, quick, and show results immediately. 

Our litmus test for sin is to test everything against murder, but His litmus test is perfection, because he is more concerned about the true state of our hearts than we are, he explained that all sin makes us guilty, not just the big sins.

Jesus knows we would rank ourselves, trying to make ourselves seem better, but the truth is we all have a sin problem. Thankfully, Jesus doesn’t leave us there. Knowing our imperfection and still wanting us in Heaven, God sent His son Jesus to die on the cross a horrid death to take on our sins. Jesus lived a perfect life so that all who ask Jesus to be their savior can have eternal life.

We all have a sin problem, but Jesus loves us enough to rescue us from it.

Lord we know we have a sin problem, and that you are the only solution to it. We thank you for the love for us despite our heart always second guessing your purpose and goodness for us. Help us to remember that you are the solution, and that you are always standing with arms open wide, ready to hold us.

Sin is a term in archery, meaning that you didn’t hit the mark of perfection, or the mark in the middle. This would have been a term that people in Jesus’ time period would have been very familiar with. 

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” - Psalms 51:10 NIV

David failed, but God redeemed him. David had to face the consequences of his decisions, but God met David where he was. He will do the same with you, if only you ask.

God forgive me when I sin and mess up. Create in me a clean heart and pure mind. I want to run into Your open arms instead of towards sin. Thank you for the gift of Jesus and for being faithful to forgive. Help me to seek You daily.

Scripture: Romans 8:31–39; John 10:10
Theme: When you begin questioning God's goodness, remember what He has already given you through Jesus.

How do you know someone really loves you?
Words matter, but actions often reveal the depth of someone's love. It's one thing for someone to say they care about you. It's another thing for them to sacrifice something valuable for your good.

Throughout this week, we've been looking at one of the oldest lies in human history:
God is holding out on you. The enemy wants us to believe that God is keeping something good from us, that His boundaries are unreasonable, and that we'd be happier doing things our own way. But Romans 8:32 gives us a powerful answer to that lie.
Paul reminds us that God did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all.
Think about that. When humanity rebelled against God, He didn't simply abandon us to the consequences of our sin.

He made a way for us to be forgiven and restored to a relationship with Him.
Jesus willingly gave His life on the cross and rose again so that we could experience the life God created us to have. And that changes how we understand God's goodness.
We may not always understand why God allows certain circumstances.
We may not always understand why He tells us to wait. And we may not always understand why His answer to something we want is no. But we can look at the cross and know that God has demonstrated His love for us. Jesus said in John 10:10 that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but He came so that we might have life to the full.

The enemy wants us to believe that following God means missing out on life.
Jesus tells us that true life is found in Him. When you're tempted to question God's goodness, don't just look at what you don't have. Look at what He has already given.

Look at the garden. Look at His faithfulness. And most importantly, look at the cross.

Because the cross reminds us that God's love isn't something we have to guess about.
He has already demonstrated it.

1. How does the sacrifice of Jesus challenge the lie that God is holding out on you?
2. What is one area of your life where you need to choose to trust God's goodness today?

Spend a few minutes reflecting on Romans 8:32. Write down one situation where you've been struggling to trust God, then pray specifically about surrendering that situation to Him.

Father, thank You for demonstrating Your love through Jesus. When circumstances cause me to question Your goodness, remind me of the cross. Help me trust Your heart even when I don't understand Your plan. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Scripture: Genesis 3:6–13; James 1:14–16
Theme: Temptation shows us what sin promises, but rarely what it will cost.

Have you ever made a decision that seemed like a great idea at the time, only to regret it later?

Maybe it was something you said in frustration. Maybe it was a purchase you couldn't afford. Maybe it was a decision you knew wasn't wise, but it seemed harmless in the moment.

That's part of what makes temptation so effective. It rarely shows us the consequences up front. In Genesis 3:6, Eve looked at the forbidden fruit and saw that it was good for food, pleasing to the eye, and desirable for gaining wisdom. Everything about it seemed appealing. But what Eve could see was only part of the story. She saw the fruit. God knew where disobedience would lead. The very next verses describe shame, fear, hiding, and broken relationships. The promise of something better led to something far worse.

James 1 explains that temptation often begins when we're drawn away by our own desires. Those desires can eventually lead to sin, and sin brings destruction.
The enemy wants us focused on what temptation offers right now.
God wants us to understand where it leads.

That doesn't mean every enjoyable thing is sinful. God created many good things for us to enjoy. But something isn't good simply because it feels good. And something isn't right simply because it looks appealing. Sin shows you the invitation, but it hides the consequences. That's why we need more than our feelings to guide our decisions.
We need God's Word. We need wisdom. And we need people in our lives who will help us recognize the truth when our desires begin clouding our judgment.

1. Is there a temptation in your life that you've been minimizing because it seems harmless?
2. What consequences might you be overlooking by focusing only on what that temptation promises?

 Before making an important decision today, ask yourself: "Am I choosing this because it's right or simply because it's what I want?"

Lord, give me wisdom to recognize temptation for what it is. Help me look beyond what seems appealing in the moment and consider where my decisions will lead. Strengthen me to choose what honors You. Amen.

Scripture: Psalm 84:11; Proverbs 3:5–6
Theme: God's boundaries aren't designed to steal our freedom but to guide us toward what is good.

Imagine driving along a winding mountain road.

As you approach a sharp curve, you notice a guardrail separating the road from a steep drop.

Would you consider that guardrail unfair?

Would you complain that someone was limiting your freedom to drive wherever you wanted?

Probably not.

You recognize that the guardrail is there for your protection.

But sometimes we look at God's instructions very differently.

We see His boundaries as restrictions keeping us from something enjoyable. We begin wondering why God would tell us no when something seems so appealing.
That's exactly what the serpent wanted Eve to believe. He suggested that God was withholding something valuable from her. He made God's instruction seem less like wisdom and more like selfishness. But God wasn't trying to deprive Adam and Eve of something they needed. He knew the consequences of disobedience. And God still knows what we cannot see. His instructions about relationships, integrity, forgiveness, sexuality, generosity, and obedience aren't arbitrary rules designed to make life difficult.

They reflect His wisdom and His desire for us to live according to His good purposes.
Psalm 84:11 reminds us that God does not withhold what is truly good from those who walk with Him. That doesn't mean He promises to give us everything we want. Sometimes the very thing we want would lead us away from what is best. God's boundaries are not evidence that He is holding out on us. They are an invitation to trust His wisdom.
The question is whether we will trust Him enough to follow, even when we don't understand.

1. Have you ever viewed one of God's instructions as an unnecessary restriction?
2. How might your perspective change if you viewed that boundary as an expression of God's wisdom and care?

Think about a boundary God has established in Scripture. Instead of focusing on what it prohibits, consider what it protects or promotes.

Father, thank You for loving me enough to guide me. Help me see Your instructions through the lens of Your goodness rather than my own desires. Give me the courage to trust You, even when I don't understand. Amen.

Scripture: Genesis 3:1–5
Theme: The enemy often begins by getting us to question what God has said.
One of the most dangerous things about deception is that it doesn't always begin with an obvious lie.
Sometimes it begins with a question.
In Genesis 3, the serpent approaches Eve with a seemingly innocent question: "Did God really say...?"
But this wasn't an honest attempt to understand God's instructions. The serpent was twisting God's words to create doubt.
God had clearly told Adam and Eve they could eat from the trees in the garden, except for one. The serpent made it sound as though God was restricting everything.
And once he introduced doubt about God's words, he began attacking God's character.
The same thing happens today.
We read something in Scripture that challenges the way we want to live, and suddenly questions begin forming.
Does God really care about that?
Is that command still relevant?
Is that actually wrong?
Wouldn't God want me to be happy?
Questions aren't necessarily bad. Asking questions can help us grow in our faith and understand Scripture more deeply.
But there's a difference between asking questions because we want to understand God's truth and questioning God's truth because we want permission to ignore it.
The enemy wants us to believe that God's Word is unreliable or that His instructions are unreasonable.
But God's Word isn't meant to rob us of life. It teaches us how to live in relationship with the One who created us.
Proverbs 3:5 reminds us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts rather than relying entirely on our own understanding.
We won't always understand everything God asks of us.
But we can learn to trust the One who is asking.

1. Is there an area of your life where you've been questioning something God has clearly said?
2. Are your questions leading you toward a better understanding of God's Word or away from obedience?

 Identify one area where your desires conflict with what Scripture teaches. Spend time reading what God's Word says about it and ask Him for the faith to trust His wisdom

God, help me recognize when my own desires are influencing how I understand Your Word. Give me a heart that seeks truth, even when the truth challenges me. Teach me to trust what You have said. Amen.

Theme: Don't become so focused on what you don't have that you forget what God has already given you.

Have you ever noticed how one thing can change your perspective on everything?
You might be having a great day until one frustrating conversation ruins your mood. You might be perfectly content with what you have until you see something someone else owns. Suddenly, what was enough yesterday doesn't seem like enough today.
That's exactly where the enemy began in the Garden of Eden.
Before God ever told Adam and Eve what they couldn't have, He showed them everything they could enjoy. God placed them in a beautiful garden filled with provision, purpose, and freedom. In Genesis 2:16, God told Adam, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden."
God began with generosity.

But when the serpent entered the picture, he shifted Eve's attention away from everything God had provided and toward the one thing God had forbidden.
The garden hadn't changed. God's goodness hadn't changed. Only the focus had changed.
And sometimes we do the same thing.

We become so consumed with the opportunity we didn't get, the prayer that hasn't been answered, or the thing someone else has that we overlook the countless ways God has already been faithful.

Don't let one tree make you forget the whole garden.
Gratitude helps us recognize what deception wants us to overlook. When we intentionally remember God's goodness, we begin seeing our circumstances differently.

Reflection Questions:
1. What is one thing you've been focusing on that you don't have?
2. What are three ways God has already provided for you that you may have overlooked?
Today's Challenge: Write down five things you're thankful for. Be specific. Take a moment to thank God for each one.

 Father, forgive me for the times I've focused more on what I lack than on what You've provided. Open my eyes to Your goodness and help me live with a grateful heart. Amen.

I have a great group of people who I love, great church family and friends, but if I could choose my most favorite day, it would be sitting at my house with my family of 5. Sitting on the couch, watching a baking competition, listening to the kids comment on food, the stories or comments of life in the middle of the living room.. These are the people I would choose over and over again. These are the people I love and would choose without hesitation over and over.

13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve[a] that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. (Mark 3: 13-15)

In the verses that immediately precede this section of Scripture, we see that the crowds swelled to large numbers. They all wanted  to be near Jesus. They wanted to hear him talk; they wanted to get close to him. But these verses say Jesus “called to him those he wanted.” He called his Disciples. Jesus was establishing an apprenticeship based on relationship. Equally important to note is that he didn’t give in to the attention and the clamoring of the crowd; instead he started with and focused on the few.
Verse 14 says the first reason why Jesus selected the Twelve, was so that “they might be with him.” Jesus was prioritizing relationship. This was truly an apprenticeship that prioritized spending time together, in which the Twelve could observe, learn, and do what Jesus was doing. Apprenticeship is true to the intent and expression of how Jesus did discipleship. Much of our discipleship efforts today focus on content and curriculum, but Jesus prioritized the relationship.

The goal of the apprenticeship was that “he might send them out” and they would do with others what he had done with them. Jesus wanted his apprentices to get to the place where they could do what he was doing. Once they could “preach and … have authority to drive out demons,” the apprenticeship was complete.
As always, our relationships and life should mimic Christs. You don’t want the people you are doing life with to never leave, life is full of seasons. The goal is that we should have someone who is a wiser Christian able to disciple us, and that we can have a baby Christian under us. We are all called to go out and make disciples.  Pray about who God might have for you to disciple? Who might God have for you to be discipled by?
To move forward, sometimes we have to get help.

Father, bring someone to our mind that you would have us do life with. God we ask that someone also have our name brought to their hearts. Help us to be intentional about creating relationships and multiplying your kingdom. Help us to not focus on large numbers, but one relationship at a time, in the model you have created for us.  

Our boys are always extremely busy, their individual interests are different, but both of them require lack of sleep. Their early mornings for their extracurriculars often alternate from each other, but someone in our house is always having to get up by 5 to be on time. Jonathan has said a multitude of times in the first 6 weeks of school, that being good takes time, but being great takes sacrifice. 

In Luke 9:23, Jesus gave a pretty good summary statement about the meaning of discipleship. 

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me .”

He noted that being His disciple meant dying to our desires and sacrificing everything to follow Him. In other words, He is the focus of discipleship in the Bible—and in our lives and doing it correctly requires sacrifice. This means turning away from self-reliance, personal ambition, and sin. Instead of letting worldly success or failures define your worth, you define your identity through Christ. 

This means setting up spiritual disciplines in our lives. Daily bible study, sitting with Christ daily, prayers, and redefining our lives by Kingdom mindedness. My success doesn’t come from work, my marriage, or even how successful my children are, my true success. The only one that actually matters, is how well I followed Christ, daily taking up my cross in every day tasks.

Moving forward sometimes requires restoring spiritual discipline.

Father, you alone know what each of us individually need to restore in our lives, and you alone are able to restore these disciplines. We ask that you open our eyes, and help us to create these disciplines, setting our eyes back on you, so that we can complete the task of going out to create more disciples.

When our boys were young, we would have to plan an extra 30 minutes to every trip, because they would reach a point where they would say “No, no, I can do it. Let me do it.” We could have done the same task quicker, but we only were able to do this faster from our own parents allowing us to go through our own “Let me” phase. From us watching our parents do the task, to us wanting to learn the task, to us showing our children how to do that same task. 

Being a disciple in its most basic form is someone who believes in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, intentionally learns from Him, and strives to live more like Him. It is following in the example of Christ, and mimicking your daily life and decisions after His. Discipleship is a widely-used word to describe a journey of spiritual growth. However, this growth happens as a person comes alongside another to witness to them, pray with them, study the Bible with them, and fellowship with them. 

The first time we see Disciples in the bible is in the new testament. We see this relationship with Jesus and the 12 who do daily life with him. This group had a diverse background, but for all intents and purposes, they were NOT qualified to hang out daily with the Savior of the world, but Jesus still told them to “Come Follow Me.” 

We see this group learning and growing daily with Jesus. They were not perfect by any means, but this unqualified group took the gospel of Jesus to the ends of the world. This was not a pleasant task, they were mocked, beaten, and killed for what they believed in.  They did this task because of the time they spent with Jesus, because of the miracles they witnessed and because they knew that the Savior of the world tasked them to go and make disciples.

After His resurrection, Jesus gathered His followers and gave them some final instructions. The primary charge He offered was for them to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).

“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’”
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV).

This involved both becoming stronger disciples themselves and sharing Him with others so they would become disciples too. But the Greek wording is clear that discipleship is a command that Jesus expected His people to follow and obey.
Jesus told us to go and make disciples as he knew that was how the Good News would be spread to all the nations. And discipleship is how it would be shared from one person to another through relationships. 

Sometimes moving forward requires us to slow down to bring others with us.

God,
 help us to remember that the charge for your 11 remaining disciples does not just end with them, this charge is for all of us. Help to open our eyes to those that you have put in our path daily, that we can take the gospel. Help our daily tasks disrupt us from your divine meetings.