GUIDE AND DEVOTIONALS
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
As a kid growing up with older brothers I attempted whatever they did. Swimming across the river and jumping off a huge rock into extremely deep water didn’t stop me, even though I was not a strong swimmer. I don’t recommend you doing this but the principle behind it is sound. Often we play it safe in life and never jump out into the deep. We can paddle around on the edges and the in shallow and never really go deep in life and our relationships. Sadly we can bring this into our spiritual life. Jesus said in Matthew 16:25 “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it but whoever loses his life for my sake shall find it.” God doesn’t just want us to be a Christian; He wants us to go deep into Him and be a fully devoted follower of Jesus, a disciple. What does this mean, trusting Him totally with all of our life, no hidden recesses? It means knowing what He believes and says about things which we can only know by reading God’s Word and making it part of our everyday life. It is talking to God in prayer, not just when we are faced with a challenge but including Him in all of our life.
Deeper and Wider
I would never have known what it was like to be in the water way out of my depth unless I had taken the plunge. Let’s not be fringe dwellers in our relationship with God (just going to church, giving of your finances or even serving) These are all good things but there is MORE!!!! Let’s go out into the deep and trust God with our Whole lives. Fully immerse yourself in Him, trusting Him to take you to a place that you have never been before. Ponder Thoughts What stops me from fully surrendering every aspect of my life? What changes do I need to make to go deeper and wider into God, in my personal devotional life? Prayer
DAY 1
God, I don’t want to stay on the edges looking at what others are doing, I want to be fully immersed in all you have for me. Give me the courage to take a leap of faith and trust you with everything in my life. Amen.
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
Your place of Influence
The stats say that if we live to 78.3 years we will influence 80,000 people... that’s a whole lot of people to influence in a lifetime! The question to ask is, what sort of influence am I? Some people we are close with and we share deeply about things that are on our heart, while others are more of an acquaintance and we just share surface things. Whether you are close or have a more distant relationship, we are influencing people’s lives every single day. The question is, are you a good or a bad influence? Do you represent your Father well? We are Christ’s Ambassadors as we read in 2 Corinthians 5:20; ‘We are Christ’s Ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead Come back to God!’ You are not living your own life; you are a representative of heaven, here on earth. Your father in heaven has charged us to be his mouth, hands and feet and we have incredible influence, but we need to use it wisely. I must decrease and He must increase in our life. Ponder Thoughts Do people know that I am an ambassador for God by the way I speak and act? Do I ask God to give me opportunities to be His mouth, hands and feet here on earth and am I willing to follow His promptings? What ‘space’ will I give God TODAY to use me to be His ambassador? Prayer
DAY 2
God, help me today to step out as your ambassador using my sphere of influence to attract people to you. May I be hidden and you be seen in a greater way. Give me eyes to see people as you see them and boldness to open my mouth and speak what you say. Amen!
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING Scripture And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that your hand might be with me, that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain! So God granted him what he had requested. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Observation
The Fasting Edge #1
In this passage we find that Jabez calls upon the Lord WITH intensity. The word “Oh”, highlights the cry of his heart. He prays for five things that are burning in his heart. Blessing, Enlargement, God’s presence, God’s empowerment and God’s protection. Whenever we pray along these lines we are in line with God’s will. Application There is something in each of us that desires more. When we choose to submit those desires to God, He can do great things with us. Fasting and prayer helps you bring your desires into alignment with God’s desires. I don’t believe we were made to merely float along in a mediocre Christian life. God never intended us to be selfish and say “Well I have enough.” God wants our lives to be blessed so that we will be a blessing Prayer
DAY 3
Oh Lord that you would bless me, my family and my church. May you enlarge the borders of our influence for Christ’s sake. Lord I need your empowerment and protection as I journey into 2017
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING Scripture And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that your hand might be with me, that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain! So God granted him what he had requested. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Observation
The Fasting Edge #2
Notice Jabez didn’t pray “Oh that you would bless me so that I can enjoy it all for myself and not care who else is in need. No he prayed that God’s hand might be upon him so that others could experience the goodness of God. Jesus taught his followers to enlarge the influence of his kingdom around the world. He taught them and us to pray “Let your kingdom come and your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” Application God has called you and I to be carriers of his presence wherever we go. To bring hope where there is despair, healing where there is sickness, joy where there is sadness, faith where there is fear. And as His hand is upon you and His presence is with you that is exactly what will happen. Prayer
DAY 4
Lord, as I seek you in prayer and fasting may I be channel of your power, grace and goodness to all who I come into contact with this year.
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
Scripture And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that your hand might be with me, that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain! So God granted him what he had requested. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Observation
The Fasting Edge #3
...And God granted him what he had requested. James 5:16 says the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. We serve a prayer answering God. When earnest God given desires are mixed with faith, the results are truly out of this world. Application When you ask God to enlarge your territory, what you are really saying is, “Lord thank you for the achievements of the past, but don’t let it stop; I believe there is more that I can do.” I love Caleb’s attitude. That man was 85 years old when he went to Joshua and asked for the mountain that Moses had promised him for his inheritance. He was not content to live in his present situation. Caleb knew there was more. He believed there were more great battles to fight as long as the Lord would be with him. He, like Jabez, was saying “Here I am, Lord; expand my territory for your glory.
DAY 5
Prayer Here I am Lord, expand my territory for your glory. Bless me indeed, let your hand rest upon me. I believe you are a prayer answering God.
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
I never assume that Christians read their Bible or even know how to study and get something out of their personal devotional time, so I want to show you a great way to dig deeper into God’s Word through S.O.A.P. It only needs to take 10-15 minutes a day (I think we can all find this amount of time in our busy day) and I promise that if you invest this time, you will see a marked growth in your spiritual life, faith, wisdom and knowledge. It is an amazing investment of your time and it is easy. What is S.O.A.P.? S.O.A.P. stands for Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. It is a way of getting more out of your time in God’s Word.
Digging Deeper
How does it work? Make time to sit down for your daily quiet time. Read the Bible, either a chapter or several verses, but with one difference. Underline or make note of any verses that jump out at you with special significance. This is the basis for diving deeper and using S.O.A.P. Scripture: Write or type out the verse or verses that stuck out to you in your reading. Observation: What did you observe about the scripture that struck you? This can be one sentence or paragraph. The context in scripture etc. Application: How can you apply the observation so that it affects your life today? Make it personal and real. Prayer: Write out a prayer to God based on what you just learned and ask him to help you apply this truth in your life.
DAY 6
I encourage you to adopt this way of doing devotions if you have found digging into the Bible difficult or you feel like you are not getting anything out of it. Believe me, this will really help you and you will find that you won’t want to miss reading your Bible.
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.” - Ephesians 3:18 (NLT) You can know ‘about’ a person but unless you know them personally you only know them through hearsay or someone else’s opinion. This can be clouded by that person’s viewpoint, depending on their own personal experience. When it comes to knowing the unlimited, unfailing, totally embracing love of God… when it is personal, you have experienced and you live in it; you know, that you know, that you know God’s love. So often our love gives up or lessens for someone depending on how we are treated. With God’s love extended towards us, regardless of how many times we do the wrong thing or continue to walk down a path that takes us away from the Fathers plan, we are still loved!!!! I don’t think we really get this because if we did, we would be more conscious of living a godly life and bring pleasure to our Father God, than living to make those around us like us more.
Going 'Deeper' in Love
God’s love is so expansive, it is so high, so deep and so wide that it never ever runs out. I don’t know of any other love like this, not between a husband and wife, a parent and child or between friends. This is pure love generously given that comes in unlimited supply. The choice is ours whether we immerse ourselves in Him? Ponder Points Have I really experienced His love and live life with Him as my guide and lover? What attitudes have I carried into my relationship with my Father God from my other relationships in life? Am I easily disappointed, fearful He will leave me when I do wrong, scared of His judgement because of past words and actions against me, or are there things that have distorted my view of God that I need to address? Dwell on what it means to have God’s love that never runs out.... how should that impact and change the way I think?
DAY 7
Prayer God, I am sorry that I allow my experiences from earthly relationships to impact and cloud my view of You. I want to be immersed in Your love and live with purpose and conviction. I want to live like a child of the king who knows his/her position, which has been granted by birth. I am yours and You are mine. Amen!
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. 1 Samuel 15:22 NLT
Remain Deep and Blessable
I recently read a devotion from Andy Stanely that used the term “Blessable”. I loved it! It challenged and reminded me that in order to not only go “Deeper” and stay “Deep” in my walk with God, it is ongoing obedience that will keep me Deep and Blessable. Obedience to God isn’t just a once-off act or attitude, it is an ongoing, lifelong pursuit! The above verse and scenario came to my mind. Samuel reprimands King Saul for not obeying the instructions given to him by God in a battle with the Amalekites. This one act moved King Saul out of God’s ‘blessable’ zone and sent him on a downward spiral where more and more disobedience to God came into his life. Do you want to remain ‘Deep’ and ‘Blessable’? Is there an area of your life that God is challenging your obedience with? Ask Him to highlight it and give you the faith and tenacity to remain Deep and Blessable.
DAY 8
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 NLT
Going wider is not an option, it 's a command!
A tree naturally and innately bursts from a seed into seedling, then a sapling, and into a mature tree. All the while it is continually spreading its branches and budding throughout different seasons. The bible gives us a picture that ‘godly trees’ (us!) are to be planted and go wider so we can provide shade and have birds rest in our branches. The enemy and our own human nature, fights this urge to go “wider” that God has put in us and commands us to do. Who are the people in your life that God has placed around you, who need shade? Who needs to rest and recoup in the ‘branches’ of your faith? What part can you play in their life in leading them to become disciples of Christ themselves? Going “wider” in sharing our faith with others isn’t an option…it’s a command! The clock is ticking. Every day that passes brings us closer to Christ’s return. Let’s go “wider” than ever before in 2017 and as Reinhard Bonke says “let us plunder hell and populate heaven!”
DAY 9
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. Romans 12:11 (NIV) How close do you feel to God? Most of us sense that there’s more to a relationship with God than what we currently are experiencing. While we can start our relationship with God with a lot of passion and zeal, over time that enthusiasm subsides. There can be occasional bursts of excitement, but even that excitement can be short-lived. Our walk with God can seem to have a few highs, some lows…and a whole lot of mundane in-betweens.
Awakening
DAY 10
Does it strike you, that there is something terribly wrong with a passionless, passive, mundane, monotonous relationship with God? Aren’t we vaguely unsettled with the idea that somehow a daily relationship with God… the God of the universe… can end up with the flavour of stale bread? The Bible is clear that our passion and spiritual fervour should be constant (Romans 12:11). So why have so many Christians accepted a faith experience that is so far below what God intended for them? A passionate, thriving relationship with God should be the norm, not the exception for every follower of Christ. The enemy wants our souls to be lulled to sleep, all while we think everything is okay, but God wants to awaken a fresh and exciting relationship with Him. No matter where you are at now, in these 21 days we hope you will seek to reawaken the voice of God, and your passionate pursuit of Him. Take a moment to reflect and journal: What is your biggest obstacle to experiencing the zeal and passion described in Romans 12:11? Ask God to ignite or reignite a passion in your relationship with Jesus.
*Excerpts taken from Awakening: A New Approach to Faith, Fasting and Spiritual Freedom by Stovall Weems (pp.1-4)
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
Godly Confidence
Anyone who watched The Australian Tennis Open this year would have observed that confidence was an important key to winning. Of course that confidence has its roots in oneself. “My talent, my ability, my fitness and my tactics”. How different it is for a Christian, especially for one who is committed to leading a life that is “Deep and Wide.” Our confidence should be entirely in the Lord Himself. In a tennis match things can go wrong. A bad line call, a gust of wind or a net cord can have enormous influence on a result. So much so that confidence can be quickly eroded. It is the same in life for a Christian. Unexpected circumstances can very quickly change our outlook and rattle our confidence. We can start to question the very foundation of our faith. Why me? Where were you Lord? How is that fair? How can I bear this? That’s why we must dig deep into Jesus in the less challenging times, so that we will stand in the tough times. And that’s why we need to be wide in our outlook and realise that “it’s not all about me” “Therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward.” Hebrews 10:35 Prayer
Lord, teach me to trust you more and develop my confidence in you so that it becomes unshakeable.
DAY 11
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING Read 2 Kings 3:16-18
Digging Deeper
The command was to dig ditches “make this valley full of ditches” That was a command from the Lord through the ministry of the prophet Elisha. Whilst it was given for a specific occasion there is an important principle exposed. If we want to see the Lord work in us and through us then we have to get down and dirty. We have to dig metaphorically speaking. We cannot just sit back and pray then hope for the best. On most occasions The Lord wants us to be part of the solution. In our passage the Israelites dug their ditches and then the Lord supplied water for their herds and then used those same ditches to confuse their enemy and deliver them victory. So what do we mean by digging? It is symbolic of seeking Him in prayer, reading The Word, serving in His house and being faithful in our giving. Yes they are the basics of a “Deep and Wide” Christian life but they really are non-negotiable. “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31) Prayer
DAY 12
Lord help me to be an active Christian and not one who passively observes. Position me in such a way that I can see your powerful hand at work.
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
“Then with a deep longing you will seek Me and require Me as a vital necessity and you will find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (AMP)
What are you searching for?
We can tend to focus on things intently when they are important to us, such as work, social media, sports etc., but is focussing on God intently as important to you as other things? God spoke through Jeremiah saying, as we seek and search for God with a deep longing then we will find him. Not only going deeper with God is important but God also says that it is a vital necessity that we seek him. God’s love for you runs deep and wide, more than you can imagine, he deserves our time, close attention and focus. The message translation says, “When you come looking for Me, you’ll find Me. Yes, when you get serious about finding Me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed...I’ll turn things around for you.” Begin today; get serious about going deeper in God with all your heart because as you go deeper into the things of God, He will not disappoint you.
DAY 13
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babies, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” 1 Peter 2:1-3
What cravings do you have?
Have you ever had a craving? I remember for weeks I was telling my wife that I was craving something fruity and cold....like a sorbet. And because we didn’t have sorbet in the house I tried to fill myself up with other stuff. But that didn’t fulfil my craving. Only until I got that sorbet (after many weeks), was I actually satisfied. We need to have such cravings for God and his Word. The bible gives us another (and better illustration), a baby that craves milk. Once the baby is able to latch on and taste the milk, they can’t get enough. That is pure milk. (And trust me, my baby daughter is proof of that). We all have a ‘God shaped’ hole in our life, that can only be filled with God and His word. And filling up on other stuff, will never fulfil that craving. And…here’s the thing…once you have had a taste of God’s living word, you will get an appetite for it. And you will begin be able to discern what is pure and right, and what is not. You will know what is the good stuff! We need to crave God. What is pure - God and His word.
DAY 14
Prayer:
Dear God give me a hunger for your Word.
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING Read 2 Kings 2
Stay Here or Move Forward
We read in 2 Kings 2 about the events leading up to the end of the prophet Elijah’s life. At this point, Elisha was following the prophet Elijah closely. They were at a place called Gilgal when Elijah said to Elisha “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.” (Verse 2) But Elisha refused to stay back and journeyed with Elijah. Again at Bethel the same thing happened, and again Elisha refused to stay behind. When they reached Jericho, Elijah said to Elisha “stay here” and again Elisha refused to stay behind and persevered on the journey with Elijah. After they crossed the Jordan river Elijah turned to Elisha and said, “Tell me, what can I do for you …” (Verse 9) upon which Elisha asked for a “double portion” of the anointing that rested upon Elijah. Elisha persisted even though he had permission to stay behind. Let us approach our prayer time with the same attitude. We can stay behind in Gilgal and surf the TV channels. Or we can choose to stay behind in Bethel and go out with the guys or the girls for a night out. We can choose to stop in Jericho and catch up with that friend we haven’t seen in ages. But we can also choose to have the same attitude as Elisha. Refuse to stay behind and persevere. Keep on leaning in, even in the face of difficulty and resistance, be persistent, do not let up. When we refuse to give up, when we are determined to go deeper, God will bless us with an increased portion. Prayer
DAY 15
Lord, I choose to persist and to go deeper. Just like Elisha, I too refuse to stay behind and commit to this journey where You will meet me with an increased portion. Amen.
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. V10 The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10
Knowing God More
DAY 16
As we enter a new year our theme is Deeper and Wider. This passage of scripture talks about God revealing his purpose and plan to his believers by his Spirit. All people may know many things, but the scripture here clearly states that we as Christians can know the will of God, his plans and purposes that will be revealed to us by his Holy Spirit. Furthermore v10 says that The holy Spirit searches all things ,even the deep things of God. Another words it is the Holy Spirit that reveals his plans to us in deeper ways. No one but God knows what another person is thinking. No one can know God’s thoughts except God himself. God’s Spirit knows them, and he can lead us to know God in a much deeper way. Any relationship that grows stronger is built as a result of us spending more time with that person. As time goes by we get to know them better. May this be a year where we search Deeper and Wider the hidden truths about God as we spend more time with him. May the Holy Spirit give us wisdom to search deeper so that we may know our God more.Lord, I choose to persist and to go deeper. Just like Elisha, I too refuse to stay behind and commit to this journey where You will meet me with an increased portion. Amen.
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING “And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:2-3
Your Appointed Time
DAY 17
Our wonderful daughter Arielle is approaching her 5th birthday in May. In actuality, her birthday is supposed to be in August - her due date – but she actually born three months premature. Doctors give the due date as an indication for when the baby is supposed to be born. And in the majority of times that will be the case. For Arielle’s, that wasn’t the case, because God had an appointed time for her to be born. I don’t know all the reasons as to why God worked it out that way, but the important thing is that I know that it was God who worked it out. Most of us are, at one time or another, waiting for a “due date” (a date that we put on something) – for a life partner, for a job, for healing, or financial provision. You might have a God-given vision, just as Habakkuk did, and you’re waiting for that vision, that dream, to come to reach its due date. And it can be difficult to be faithful as you wait for that due date. We lose focus, faith and trust that God has it under control. But rather than focusing on your due date, I encourage you to wait for God’s appointed time. And as you wait – remain faithful to God. Give in faith that God knows what is best for you, and that in His time – His appointed time – He will bring it to pass.
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26
The Gift of Peace
DAY 18
These words were spoken through Aaron in the time of Moses. This came after the Israelites had turned to God and sacrificed for forgiveness, they expressed their devotion to God and then this great proclamation was given. In Jewish culture, a spoken blessing was like a tangible gift to the people. This is God speaking to His people wanting them and you today to know that He is near and He loves you. The word ‘peace’, shalom speaks about having an inner peace, it speaks about a peace that brings about well being and physical and mental wholeness. Only in Him can we find these things. Your year may be faced with uncertainty, however it is important that you understand that you can count on God. He is committed to keeping you. Today, God delights in you, ask for that peace and know that you are loved by Him. This is God’s heart for you, his proclamation over you. “I love you, you are dear to me, you are the apple of my eye, you are mine”. Receive God’s gift today.
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16
The Power of Community
Ask any happily married couple and they would say that their love for each other has grown deeper with each passing year. Yes, time has revealed their flaws, but helping each other grow through their weaknesses has also grown their love for each other. Sin, that thing we often try to hide away from others, is our weakness and a disease that touches all of us in some way. Like any festering wound it requires tending and treatment support from trusted people. I believe that life groups are such places. Wounded souls can come and be cleansed, healed through open trusting relationships. It is here that Christ’s unconditional love is played out and made real as members strive to see health restored in each other. This year go DEEP, go beyond the superficial and connect with your fellow Christians at a deeper level. Let them in. Let God in. Even if you are an exemplary healthy Christian and think you personally may not need this new depth, I have no doubt that you will be challenged in your faith. You will see a new revelation of God and grow a deeper understanding of who He is and how He loves.
DAY 19
Life is messy – be part of the clean-up crew or find one that can help you!
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NIV
The Source & Giver of Life
DAY 20
What are you connected to and where are you drawing your source of joy, encouragement and information from today? Is that information nourishment to your spiritual development and edifying to your character? And above all, is it pleasing to God. Is your life being influenced and shaped predominately by the social news and examples of others? Sometimes we become so familiar with someone or particular situations, that we forget to step back and see what impact they’re having on us personally and whether associating with or engaging in a particular habit, is actually causing you to flourish personally or not. Have you taken your eyes off your source and giver of life? Have you neglected to remember that He is closer than your breath? And that He is a constant ‘intravenous’ spiritual flow of every good thing that you need. Perhaps you have been journeying life in your own strength more often than not. Is your ‘fruit’ reflective of God’s input in your life? Stop and ask yourself if you need to severe some branches you’ve allowed yourself to draw from that are sources other than your creator. Remind yourself that He can provide you with all you need to sustain you, refresh you, encourage you and give you the hope and courage to move through each moment of each day, so that you can be the best version of you that God intended you to be. It starts by lifting your eyes and keeping them fixed on Jesus, worshiping Him in all you do and giving Him thanks and glory in every situation because every good fruit/outcome has been ordained by Him.
21 DAYS OF PRAYER AND FASTING
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5 NIV
Preparing for the Catch
Wide – The Kingdom of God is WIDE and open which is intended to pull in everyone. We are not after the ‘right people’, the ‘appropriate people’ or the ‘respectable’ people nor the best converts. It is for everybody. The invitation is open to everyone. We are called to be fishers of men. All we need to do is to throw the net as WIDE as we can and the Holy Spirit will bring them into our net. Share the gospel with everyone and trust the outcome to God. God wants everyone in the net. Grace is a gift for the whole world. Deep – We must have DEEP spiritual roots before we can truly enjoy the big, full life God intended for us. To become rooted and grounded Ask Jesus to work in our hearts so his truth can really get down DEEP in our hearts and grow. We are not to hold onto certain things that make it difficult for God’s Word to take root in our hearts e.g. bitterness, unforgiveness, an uncaring attitude and selfishness, worldliness, distractions, lack of discipline. We have to establish deep roots of faith in God, so we can endure the storms of life. Prayer:
Jesus, help me to seek first the Kingdom of God.
DAY 21
The Spirit, not content to flit around on the surface, dives into the depths of God, and brings out what God planned all along. 1 Corinthians 2:13-16 (MSG)