SUM 11: Day 30

Matthew 14:13; Psalm 46:10; John 6:15

Refuel: Stop. Have you ever dazed off during a car ride, reached your destination and realized you had no memory of the turns, stops or landmarks you encountered during the drive? This same experience often takes place in our spiritual walks. We clutter our lives with so many tasks that, at the end of the day, we are left exhausted in bed wondering how we got there. During each day, our souls thirst for God; however, if we rush through life without being mindful of Him,we attempt to drink cheap substitutes without even recognizing it. What do you do when your body craves a cold glass of water? You stop what you’re doing and quench that thirst! We should not treat our souls any differently! Taking time throughout the day to pause and seek the Lord is a beautiful, essential act for our spiritual well-being. It refocuses us on our purpose and unites us with our Creator. God doesn’t want to be part of your to-do list; He wants to be the center of it!

Read: Matthew 14:13; John 6:15; Psalm 46:10

Pray: Ask God to forgive you for the times you’ve focused more on your daily schedule
than on Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to hold you accountable throughout the day and remind you of the necessity of stopping to refuel. Thank the Lord for being a God who desires continual communication with you!

Do: The act of stopping is not something that comes naturally. Our flesh will automatically try to satisfy thirst with cheap substitutes. Practicing spiritual discipline is an act of worship, though, and God will honor our diligence. Take time to think about your daily routine and create purposeful “stopping points.” Use those times to stop and recognize the Lord’s presence, power and purpose in your life. Allow Him to refuel your soul with His living waters!

SUM 11: Day 28

Matthew 6:33

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously and He will give you everything you need. (NLT) This verse is just one verse from Jesus’ amazing Sermon on the Mount teaching. In the versus preceding this one, Jesus teaches that we should not worry about money and possessions because He promises to supply all our needs. In the midst of His teaching, Jesus challenged His listeners with the question, “Why do you have so little faith?”

We are not all that different than Jesus’ first century audience. It is easy to find
our faith slipping, but notice what Jesus says in verse 33. He gives us two direct
imperatives: “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else” and “Live righteously.” Before you move on, reflect on what Jesus is saying in these two imperatives. Ask yourself the following questions during your reflection:

What does it mean to “seek the Kingdom of God above all else”?
Do you think there is any significance in the order of these imperatives?

The challenge of today’s devotion is to avoid compartmentalizing our faith. In other words, our faith needs to be who we are, not just part of who we are. Stop for a minute and reflect on that statement; there is a big difference between the two descriptions.

Jesus gave us the formula for making our faith who we are. Jesus told us to seek the Kingdom of God above everything else; then He commanded we live righteously. We stand a chance to do just that if we focus on putting Jesus above everything else!
Can you see the transformation formula? If our faith is to become who we are rather than just part of who we are, our priorities must always be on the Kingdom of Jesus.

Pray: Are you trusting God in every area of your life? Pray today that you will allow God to be in charge and that you will seek Him first.

Do: Take some time to think about the things you are seeking. What are your priorities? Are you seeking Christ first and allowing Him to be the center of all you do?

SUM 11: Service and Notes: Day 22

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Matthew 5:27-30

God wants us to live in holiness, not lustful passion.

What is holiness? What is sanctification?

What is lust and how is it different from action? Is lust as sinful as action?

According to Scripture, what does sexual immorality consist of?

Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8. Is this a list of “do nots”? What does it mean that

God wants us to remain holy and sanctified?

For God to want us to remain holy and sanctified, and to live without sexual
immorality, what does that say about how much He loves us and how important
we are to Him?

Biblical Passage: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

Outline:

Discussion: God created our bodies. God created sex. What are practical ways
in which we prevent sex from being sin in our lives? Guys, by refraining from
sex before marriage, how are you showing love for your girlfriend and future
wife? Ladies, by refraining from sex before marriage, how are you showing
respect for your boyfriend and future husband? Consider this statement: By
choosing sexual activity before marriage, you are choosing self rather than
God. Is the Lord your God? Or is sex your god?

Scripture Memory: 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

SUM 11: Day 13

Matthew 9:37-38; John 4:1-40; Mark 10:46-52

Plant now. A seed will not sprout inside its pretty package. I once heard of a man who never left a conversation without first talking about the Lord. Whether he was on a flight or at a restaurant, he shared his story. No stranger was strange enough to cause him to be silent. Read Matthew 9:37-38.

What about you? I dare say for most of us, telling someone about Christ is quite the event. We feel the need to prep and prepare. And if we don’t feel confident in our answers to the Top 10 Bible Trivia Questions, we forget the first option of the “Fight or Flight” response, and we run like the wind.

Look at Jesus. Name one instance where He forgoes the opportunity to invite another to His Father’s table. Whether He is asking a woman at a well (read John 4:1-40) about her past relationships or a blind man (read Mark 10:46-52) what it is that he deep-down, without-a-doubt wants, Jesus gets to the heart of the matter and goes from there, never relinquishing until He plants a seed and readies for the harvest.

But Jesus is Jesus, eh? And the man on the plane could be perceived as some crazy dude. Yes. But neither argument will move a friend, family member, classmate or foe closer to Christ.

To recap: You are not Jesus, and you do not want to be perceived as a crazy dude. The question, then, is when do we share Christ with others? When do we tell our story? When do we plant a seed?

Now.

Watch the evening news, read the local paper, have a conversation – hearts are hurting, and the only hope we have is Christ. Sad stories sell, but your story – full of Christ’s love – is what people need to hear.

Pray: Thank the Lord for His love and the hope He gives. Ask Him to open your eyes and heart to what He is doing in your life and to provide you with courage and the words to speak in telling your story. Ask the Lord to show you opportunities to plant seeds on His behalf.

Do: Make a list of jobs you can do without pay and give to neigbors (bake cookies, mow the yard, bathe a dog, etc.) When a neighbor asks you to do said job, take the opportunity to share what the Lord is doing in your life or what you hope He will do in your life. Invite your neighbor to church or to a church event.

SUM 11: Service and Notes: Day 12

Matthew 13:24-30; Matthew 13:37-43

Regardless of circumstance, each of us has a seed to sow. Each word we say, each motion we do either helps the Kingdom of God or hinders the Kingdom of God. Are you for God or against God? Are you sowing grain or weeds?

In Matthew 13:24-30, what is the difference between seeds of grain and weeds?

Why is grain beneficial and why are weeds bad?

In Matthew 13:37-43, what is the difference between good seed and weeds?

Who sows the good seed? Who sows the weeds?

Why is it important to tell others about Christ and the hope He gives? In Matthew 13:37-43, what happens to good seed? What happens to weeds?

In everyday talk with friends, family, schoolmates, cashiers, your dentist and others, you have seed to plant. The stories you tell and the interactions you have say something about your Creator. Gianna Jessen’s mom had an abortion less than two months before Gianna was due to be born; however, Gianna survived. She commented that, from conception, she was hated. Yet, when Gianna talks, she glorifies God and speaks of the hope and love of Jesus. Gianna plants good seeds of grain. Watch her story at vimeo.com/9200962.

Challenge: This week, a) Keep a journal of conversations you have. b) Make comments about your attitude and topics of stories. Are you joyful? Are you complaining? Are you encouraging? Are you gossiping? c) Ask a friend, brother, sister, mom or dad to comment about conversations with you. Did he/she hear you plant seeds of grain or weeds?

SUM 11: Service and Notes: Day 5

Psalm 5:1-3
What can we learn about saturation praying from David?

The Bible commands us, as followers, to pray and to pray often. We can see
this through every book of the Bible, as every character of every story cries
out to praise God or to ask for His provision and guidance. We can learn from
the lives of men like King David, the apostles Paul and James, and of course,
Jesus, the Son of God.

Discussion Questions:
1. When you think of the phrase, “saturation praying,” what do you think of?
Does it seem like something that you can do?

2. Take a moment to open your Bible to the book of Psalms. Read a few of
the short chapters that you see. What sticks out most to you about the verses
you’re reading?

3. What do you think of when you hear “pray without ceasing?” How is it
possible in today’s world?

4. Read Matt. 7:7-8 and 1 Thes. 5:16-18. What do these verses have in common?

5. What can you do to live a life of “saturation praying?”

Challenge: Set an alarm to remind you to spend time talking to God this week
about your deepest thoughts. Tell Him your hopes and dreams, ask Him to
guide you in the right direction. Consider praying silent prayers

SUM 11: Day 2

Matthew 6:19-34 and Matthew 5-7 (for more)

7 days a week/24 minutes a day: Listen slowly! Think deeply! Pray
fervently! Obey faithfully! I love a good steak dinner. One of the best
I’ve ever eaten was at a steakhouse in Kansas City. It was served on
a plate that had a temperature of 500 degrees. The steak had butter
sizzling around it. And the steak was just like an M&M: it melted in my
mouth! YUM! It was not the kind of steak you eat as fast as you can. This
steak was the kind of steak you savor as you enjoy each bite. The flavor
was unforgettable! I think I ate steak for almost an hour, and the last bite
was just as good as the first!

I’m asking you to savor God’s Word like I did that steak. Go slow. While
reading, listen closely for God’s voice as He points out things in Scripture
to you. Look deeply into God’s Word. Don’t just pass something by
because you are in a hurry or because you don’t seem to understand
something. Pray fervently. In other words, mean what you say and put
passion into your prayers. Obey faithfully as you walk away from God’s
Word do what is says.

Pray: Thank God for His Word. Ask Him to help you obey what His
Word teaches you. Ask Him to help you serve Him alone and no other
master. Ask Him to remind you of Matthew 6:19-34 each time you
become anxious.

Do: Serve God today through the way you spend your time. Serve God
through the way you handle stress. Serve God through the way you treat
other people.