Summary of January 19, 2025
Every week we want to have a 5 day devotional recapping our previous sermon so we can grow deeper together.
'
This past Sunday we continued in our series on "Trending" and what Biblical Disciples we need to be partaking in as Christians. This week we looked at Praying and it's importance to us as Christians and the local church.
Day 1: The Breath of Christian Life
Devotional
Have you ever tried holding your breath? After just a few moments, your body urgently signals its need for air. Just as breathing is essential for physical life, prayer is vital for our spiritual life. Yet many of us treat prayer as optional, something we do only in emergencies or when we need something. Today, let's challenge that mindset. Prayer isn't just a religious activity - it's our lifeline to God, our spiritual oxygen. When we understand prayer as essential as breathing, our perspective shifts from seeing it as a duty to recognizing it as a life-giving privilege. Each breath we take can remind us of our constant need for connection with our Creator. This connection isn't meant to be occasional or crisis-driven, but continuous and life-sustaining.
Bible Verse
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:17
Reflection Question
If prayer is as essential as breathing, what does your current 'spiritual breathing pattern' say about your relationship with God?
Quote
Martin Luther eloquently describes prayer is to be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.
Prayer
Father, help me recognize my deep need for You as much as I need breath itself. Transform my view of prayer from an obligation to a life-giving connection with You. Guide me to make prayer as natural as breathing. Amen.
Day 2: Beyond the Shopping List
Devotional
We often approach prayer like a shopping list - presenting our wants and needs to God and waiting for Him to fulfill them. While God certainly cares about our needs, prayer is meant to be so much more. It's a transformative experience that changes us from the inside out. When we pray, we're not just asking for things; we're allowing God to align our hearts with His will. Think about your recent prayers. Were they focused mainly on your needs, or did they include seeking God's will and wisdom? Today, let's shift our prayer focus from what we want God to do for us to what God wants to do through us.
Bible Verse
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. - John 15:7
Reflection Question
How might your prayer life change if you spent more time listening for God's will rather than presenting your requests?
Quote
It's okay to bring up our needs to pray. It's okay to pray for a family member that's hurt. It's okay to pray for a neighbor. It's okay to pray for your job situation. But I think it's important for us to learn that that should be maybe about 5% of our prayers and the other 95 to be like, God, transform my life.
Prayer
Lord, help me move beyond my list of requests to truly seek Your will. Transform my prayer life from self-focused to God-focused. Show me what You want to do through me. Amen.
Day 3: The Heart of Gratitude
Devotional
Gratitude can transform our entire perspective on life and prayer. It's easy to rush into prayer with our concerns and requests, forgetting to first acknowledge God's faithfulness and blessings. True thankfulness goes beyond mere words - it's a heart attitude that recognizes God's goodness in every circumstance. When we begin our prayers with genuine thanksgiving, it shifts our focus from our problems to God's presence and provision. This practice helps us approach our challenges with hope and trust, knowing that the same God who has been faithful before will be faithful again.
Bible Verse
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you - Colossians 1:3
Reflection Question
What difference do you notice in your prayer experience when you begin with genuine thanksgiving rather than immediately presenting your requests?
Quote
There's a big difference in saying thanks and being thankful.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, cultivate in me a heart of true thankfulness. Help me see Your blessings even in challenging times. Transform my prayer life through the power of gratitude. Amen.
Day 4: Speaking with Grace
Devotional
Our words have incredible power - they can build up or tear down, encourage or discourage. As followers of Christ, our speech should reflect His character, especially when sharing our faith with others. When we spend time in prayer, it should transform not just our relationship with God, but also how we communicate with others. Our conversations should be seasoned with grace, wisdom, and love, making them distinct from worldly discourse. This doesn't mean we avoid difficult topics, but rather approach them with Christ-like compassion and understanding.
Bible Verse
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. - Colossians 4:2-6
Reflection Question
How has your prayer life influenced the way you communicate with others, especially in challenging conversations?
Quote
Salt has a purifying influence. It should rescue our conversations from their typical filth.
Prayer
Lord, help my words reflect Your grace and truth. Guide me in speaking with wisdom and love, especially when sharing Your message with others. May my conversations honor You. Amen.
Day 5: Letting Go and Growing
Devotional
Growth in our prayer life often requires letting go - of control, of our timeline, of our way of doing things. Many of us carry burdens that God never intended us to bear. We hold tightly to worries, fears, and past hurts, thinking we're maintaining control. But true prayer involves surrender - releasing our grip on these burdens and trusting God's perfect timing and plan. When we learn to let go in prayer, we create space for God to work in ways we never imagined. This surrender isn't weakness; it's actually the path to experiencing God's strength and peace.
Bible Verse
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28
Reflection Question
What burdens are you holding onto that God is asking you to release through prayer?
Quote
Let's not take these same stinking burdens that we carry in here with we came in this room with today. Let's not leave with these on our shoulders anymore.
Prayer
Dear God, help me identify and release the burdens I'm carrying that You never meant for me to bear. Give me the courage to trust Your timing and Your plan. Amen.