Day 32
The Early Church
Read Acts 4:32-37.
Acts gives us a picture of the early church and how it functioned. What strikes you most about how the believers interacted with one another? How does this model compare to believers today? What are similarities and differences between how you see the church operating today versus the church as described in Acts 4?
Read Acts 4:32-37 again, slowly.
Spend some time in prayer for the body today. Lift up your brothers and sisters in Christ. Ask God to show us how to operate as one body. Ask Him for His guidance for the church, that we would function as He intended.
Write down what the Lord says to you as you spend time pouring over the church.
What things do you see people lacking today both inside and outside of the church? How can you affect those situations?
Ask God to orchestrate and organize His body of believers to operate in ways the most glorify Him and show His love to others.
What has God spoken to you about as you’ve read and prayed through these Scriptures?
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Day 31
Day 31
Jesus’ Resurrectction & Ascension
Read John 19:38-42.
After Jesus’ death, His friends prepared His body and laid His body to rest. How would you feel to know Christ as friend and Savior, and have to prepare His body for burial? As humans in the physical world, they had to feel rather hopeless, knowing that their Lord had been crucified. Have you ever lost hope? What was your experience like?
Read John 20:1-10.
Mary Magdalene was the last to leave when Jesus dies and the first to visit His grave…but what does she find? What would your reaction be if you found the grave of your Lord empty? Mary did what most of us would do: she told someone. Peter arrived at the tomb, then John, to find nothing but Christ’s grave cloths. Unlike Mary’s reaction, Peter and John assess the situation and they believed. What did Peter and John believe? How do you react in unexpected situations; do you panic or do you believe?
Read John 20:11-13.
Take a look at Mary’s further reaction. She wept. The disciples have headed back home and she’s left alone and she breaks down. She didn’t get it yet. But what happened next changed everything…
Read John 20:14-16.
Hope was restored! Jesus appeared to Mary and called her by name, and everything changed for Mary. In the times that you have lost hope, what changes your perspective? To what do you cling?
Read Luke 24:36-53.
Jesus appeared to His disciples and their reaction was of disbelief. What did it take for them to believe that He was the living, breathing Son of God resurrected? After His visit with the disciples, Jesus led them to Bethany, where He blessed them and then ascended into Heaven. What was the disciples’ reaction to Christ’s ascension? How would you react?
Spend some time in prayer. Thank the Lord for renewing hope, for causing all things to work according to His plan. Praise Him for His death and resurrection that makes your life possible.
What has God spoken to you about as you’ve read and prayed through these Scriptures?
Jesus’ Resurrectction & Ascension
Read John 19:38-42.
After Jesus’ death, His friends prepared His body and laid His body to rest. How would you feel to know Christ as friend and Savior, and have to prepare His body for burial? As humans in the physical world, they had to feel rather hopeless, knowing that their Lord had been crucified. Have you ever lost hope? What was your experience like?
Read John 20:1-10.
Mary Magdalene was the last to leave when Jesus dies and the first to visit His grave…but what does she find? What would your reaction be if you found the grave of your Lord empty? Mary did what most of us would do: she told someone. Peter arrived at the tomb, then John, to find nothing but Christ’s grave cloths. Unlike Mary’s reaction, Peter and John assess the situation and they believed. What did Peter and John believe? How do you react in unexpected situations; do you panic or do you believe?
Read John 20:11-13.
Take a look at Mary’s further reaction. She wept. The disciples have headed back home and she’s left alone and she breaks down. She didn’t get it yet. But what happened next changed everything…
Read John 20:14-16.
Hope was restored! Jesus appeared to Mary and called her by name, and everything changed for Mary. In the times that you have lost hope, what changes your perspective? To what do you cling?
Read Luke 24:36-53.
Jesus appeared to His disciples and their reaction was of disbelief. What did it take for them to believe that He was the living, breathing Son of God resurrected? After His visit with the disciples, Jesus led them to Bethany, where He blessed them and then ascended into Heaven. What was the disciples’ reaction to Christ’s ascension? How would you react?
Spend some time in prayer. Thank the Lord for renewing hope, for causing all things to work according to His plan. Praise Him for His death and resurrection that makes your life possible.
What has God spoken to you about as you’ve read and prayed through these Scriptures?
Day 30
Day 30
Jesus’ Death
Read John 18:1-11 and John 19:1-16.
Jesus willlingly took the cup that the Lord had for Him. He willingly endured the mocking of the soldiers, the robe, the crown, the public humiliation. Why? Read John 15:13.
Spend a few minutes absorbing the truth that Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, willingly died for you, because He loves you. Take some time to focus on the concept of Christ’s love for you. Thank Him for His endless love and mercy that would lead Him to die in your place.
Read John 19:17-27.
Can you picture the scene? Hear the cries of mockery, the laughs, and cheers over Jesus’ death. See His loved ones looking on. Feel the weight of the sin that Christ carried as He bore the cross on His bruised and bloody back.
How do you think Jesus felt at this point? What about Jesus’ mother and loved ones?
Read John 19:28-30.
What is your reaction to Jesus’ death? How do you feel knowing that He loved and loves you enough to die for you? How does that affect how you live your life on a day-to-day basis?
Spend some time thanking God for His tremendous sacrifice and for His love for you. Ask Him to make you aware of the price He paid for you.
What has God spoken to you about as you’ve read and prayed through these Scriptures?
Jesus’ Death
Read John 18:1-11 and John 19:1-16.
Jesus willlingly took the cup that the Lord had for Him. He willingly endured the mocking of the soldiers, the robe, the crown, the public humiliation. Why? Read John 15:13.
Spend a few minutes absorbing the truth that Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, willingly died for you, because He loves you. Take some time to focus on the concept of Christ’s love for you. Thank Him for His endless love and mercy that would lead Him to die in your place.
Read John 19:17-27.
Can you picture the scene? Hear the cries of mockery, the laughs, and cheers over Jesus’ death. See His loved ones looking on. Feel the weight of the sin that Christ carried as He bore the cross on His bruised and bloody back.
How do you think Jesus felt at this point? What about Jesus’ mother and loved ones?
Read John 19:28-30.
What is your reaction to Jesus’ death? How do you feel knowing that He loved and loves you enough to die for you? How does that affect how you live your life on a day-to-day basis?
Spend some time thanking God for His tremendous sacrifice and for His love for you. Ask Him to make you aware of the price He paid for you.
What has God spoken to you about as you’ve read and prayed through these Scriptures?
Day 29
Day 29
Jesus’ final hours
Read Luke 22:31-34.
Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Him. He knew that the end was coming, but that didn’t stop Jesus from seeking fellowship with the Father and encouraging His disciples to do the same and to also be on guard against temptation. It was no coincidence that Jesus knew of Peter’s future betrayal and then warned His friends of the temptation. Why would Jesus warn Peter of his betrayal? What good does it do for Peter to know in advance?
Read Luke 22:39-41.
In Jesus’ final hours on earth, He retreated. He sought the Father in a solitary place and asked his disciples to keep watch while He prayed. Notice He said to His disciples, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” Why would Jesus instruct them to pray against temptation? How are you at following Jesus’ instructions to pray against temptation?
Read Luke 22:41-44.
In this passage, Jesus offered an honest yearning to the Father. Notice His plea: “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Jesus knows the agony He is about to endure and, in His humanness, asks that the Father intervene. But in the same breath, He willingly submitted to the Father’s plan, acknowledging His power and authority. Are you so willing to submit to the Father’s plans, even if it means dying?
Spend some minutes in prayer. Consider your heart and open yourself honestly to the Father, as Jesus did in the garden. Tell the Lord where you honestly stand in surrendering to His will.
Read Luke 22:45-46.
When Jesus found His disciples sleeping, He again encouraged them to pray and fight against temptation. Spend some time asking the Lord to help you resist temptation in your life. Ask for His power and might to guide your steps so that you might fulfill His call, that He would not catch you sleeping in the hour of need.
What has God spoken to you about as you’ve read and prayed through these Scriptures?
Jesus’ final hours
Read Luke 22:31-34.
Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Him. He knew that the end was coming, but that didn’t stop Jesus from seeking fellowship with the Father and encouraging His disciples to do the same and to also be on guard against temptation. It was no coincidence that Jesus knew of Peter’s future betrayal and then warned His friends of the temptation. Why would Jesus warn Peter of his betrayal? What good does it do for Peter to know in advance?
Read Luke 22:39-41.
In Jesus’ final hours on earth, He retreated. He sought the Father in a solitary place and asked his disciples to keep watch while He prayed. Notice He said to His disciples, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” Why would Jesus instruct them to pray against temptation? How are you at following Jesus’ instructions to pray against temptation?
Read Luke 22:41-44.
In this passage, Jesus offered an honest yearning to the Father. Notice His plea: “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Jesus knows the agony He is about to endure and, in His humanness, asks that the Father intervene. But in the same breath, He willingly submitted to the Father’s plan, acknowledging His power and authority. Are you so willing to submit to the Father’s plans, even if it means dying?
Spend some minutes in prayer. Consider your heart and open yourself honestly to the Father, as Jesus did in the garden. Tell the Lord where you honestly stand in surrendering to His will.
Read Luke 22:45-46.
When Jesus found His disciples sleeping, He again encouraged them to pray and fight against temptation. Spend some time asking the Lord to help you resist temptation in your life. Ask for His power and might to guide your steps so that you might fulfill His call, that He would not catch you sleeping in the hour of need.
What has God spoken to you about as you’ve read and prayed through these Scriptures?
Day 28
Day 28
Take up your cross
Take some time to examine your heart before diving into Scripture. Where is your heart currently? How are your priorities? Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your attention any areas of your heart and life that need adjusting. Ask Him to ready you for His truth today. Write down anything that He reveals as you are quiet before Him.
Read Mark 8:34-38.
Jesus proclaimed that in order to truly find ourselves, we must lose our lives for His sake. What does it mean to lose your life for His sake? What areas of your life reflect you and what areas reflect Jesus?
Ask the Lord to bring to mind areas of your life in which you have not lost yourself in Him. Ask Him to show you what it looks like to lose your life for His sake.
Read Luke 9:23-27.
Luke emphasized Jesus’ instructions to take up our cross daily to follow Him. Following Christ isn’t something to do half-heartedly; it’s a daily commitment, a daily journey. Spend a few minutes committing yourself to the Lord and to following Him on a daily basis. Ask Him for the endurance and guidance to follow Him daily.
Read Luke 9:57-62.
Following Jesus comes at no small price. Jesus demands that we give our all to Him…our routines, commitments, desires, relationships, comforts—everything. Are you willing to give all that you have and all that you are to follow Him? Pray through anything that you may be struggling with giving up. Confess that to the Lord and ask for His help in losing yourself to follow Him. Only in losing yourself will you truly be found.
Spend some time losing yourself in Him right now. “Whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” Luke 9:24
What has God spoken to you about as you’ve read and prayed through these Scriptures?
Take up your cross
Take some time to examine your heart before diving into Scripture. Where is your heart currently? How are your priorities? Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to your attention any areas of your heart and life that need adjusting. Ask Him to ready you for His truth today. Write down anything that He reveals as you are quiet before Him.
Read Mark 8:34-38.
Jesus proclaimed that in order to truly find ourselves, we must lose our lives for His sake. What does it mean to lose your life for His sake? What areas of your life reflect you and what areas reflect Jesus?
Ask the Lord to bring to mind areas of your life in which you have not lost yourself in Him. Ask Him to show you what it looks like to lose your life for His sake.
Read Luke 9:23-27.
Luke emphasized Jesus’ instructions to take up our cross daily to follow Him. Following Christ isn’t something to do half-heartedly; it’s a daily commitment, a daily journey. Spend a few minutes committing yourself to the Lord and to following Him on a daily basis. Ask Him for the endurance and guidance to follow Him daily.
Read Luke 9:57-62.
Following Jesus comes at no small price. Jesus demands that we give our all to Him…our routines, commitments, desires, relationships, comforts—everything. Are you willing to give all that you have and all that you are to follow Him? Pray through anything that you may be struggling with giving up. Confess that to the Lord and ask for His help in losing yourself to follow Him. Only in losing yourself will you truly be found.
Spend some time losing yourself in Him right now. “Whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.” Luke 9:24
What has God spoken to you about as you’ve read and prayed through these Scriptures?
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