Daily Devotion
Tỉnh Nguyện Hàng Ngày
Having a relationship with someone involves spending time with them. Use this Daily Devotion to hear from God and speak to God and let it guide your day. Try to spend 15-30 minutes (or any amount of time) in a quiet place.
Có mối quan hệ với người nào đó liên quan đến việc dành thời gian cho họ. Tỉnh Nguyện hàng ngày này để nghe từ Chúa và tương giao với Chúa và để nó hướng dẫn ngày của bạn. Cố gắng dành 15-30 phút (hoặc bất kỳ khoảng thời gian nào) ở một nơi yên tĩnh.
10 Days of Gratitude
For the next two weeks as we approach Thanksgiving, we will look at one area of our lives we can be thankful for each day and what the Bible has to say about it.
Day 1: FAITH - John 3:16 (ESV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Reflection Questions
What is faith based upon?
What is one thing you are thankful for about your faith?
Memorize John 3:16.
Prayer Guide
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for my faith, that you opened my eyes to see You though You are invisible. You showed me that You are real and You love me through the person of Jesus, Your one and only Son who died on the cross to forgive me of my sins. I didn't love You first, but You loved me first, and that's why I can have a faith that doesn't change despite how I feel or what I'm going through.
I'm thankful for ______ about my faith. Thank You that my faith will be made sight one day in heaven with You. Thank You that I have a personal relationship with You now and know that You are always with me in whatever situation I'm going through.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
Day 2: FAMILY - Ephesians 6:1-4 (ESV)
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Reflection Questions
-What is the commandment for children in these verses? What is the commandment for parents? How have you experienced "it going well with you" as a result of obeying God's commandment?
-What is one thing you are thankful for about your family?
Prayer Guide
Pray a prayer of thanks for your family.
Day 3: GOD'S WORD - Hebrews 4:12 (NASB)
12 For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Reflection Questions
-How have you experienced God's word being "living and active" or applicable to your life?
-What is one thing you are thankful for about God's word?
-Memorize Hebrews 4:12
Prayer Guide
Dear God,
Thank You for Your word that speaks to me today even though it was written so long ago. I'm thankful for the Bible because ________. Your words comfort me in my difficulties and give me peace because You forgive me. Your words speak truth to me when I'm proud or in my sins, but as a loving father who disciplines his child. Your words also teach me how to live a joyful and good life that's pleasing to You. I pray that I may treasure Your words more each day.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
Day 4: PRAYERS - Romans 8:26-27 (NASB)
26 Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Reflection Questions
-According to the verses, who prays for us?
-What is one thing you are thankful for about prayers (being able to pray to God and/or receiving prayers)?
Prayer Guide
Thank God that even though He is so holy, we have access to Him through prayer. Thank God that there are people in our lives who love us by praying for us and that Jesus is always praying for us even if no one else may be.
Day 5: LOVE - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV)
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Reflection Questions
-Who have you experienced love from recently? What characteristic of love from the verses above did he/she show?
-Who is someone you want to show love to today and how?
Prayer Guide
Pray a prayer of thanks and blessing for the person who has shown you love recently. If applicable, share a word of thanks to him/her.
Day 6: DAILY PROBLEMS - James 1:2-4 (NASB)
2 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Reflection Questions
According to this passage, how does James tell us to treat our trials (e.g., outward problems such as persecution, inner problems such as temptation to sin, etc.)?
What is a trial that you are encountering right now?
How can you "consider [the trial] all joy"? What is the end result of sticking it out according to this passage?
Prayer Guide
Jesus,
Sometimes it's hard to view my daily problems optimistically, but in this passage, you tell me that I can. I can count the good things in my life AND the problems in my life as joy because if I stick it out, I will mature in my character and grow in my faith. Thank you for your example, that "for the joy set before [you] endured the cross" - in the greatest suffering, you went through it with joy because the end result was to save me, to make me perfect and complete, free from guilt and transformed.
I pray that you may give me the strength to endure ____ and that I can grow in my character and faith through it.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
Day 7: CHURCH - Romans 12:4-5 (NASB)
4 For just as we have many parts in one body and all the body’s parts do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another.
Reflection Questions
-How does this verse describe an individual in the church?
-Although each person in the church is unique in personality, talent, spiritual journey, etc., we are united because of Christ. How have I experienced unity, acceptance, and love in the church?
Prayer Guide
Pray a prayer of thanks for the local church you are a part of and for specific people who have impacted you in the church.
Day 8: CREATION - Revelation 4:11 (NASB)
11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”
Reflection Questions
-What is the origin of our existence?
-Who is worthy to receive "glory and honor and power" and why?
-What is one thing you are thankful for about creation?
Prayer Guide
Pray a prayer of thanks to God that because of His love for us, He created us. Pray also about what you're thankful for about creation.
Day 9: CONTROL - Psalm 103:19 (NASB)
The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.
Reflection Questions
-Where does God rule over?
-Is there an area of your life where you feel like you don't have control or you want to have control but don't?
-How does this verse assure you when you don't have control?
Prayer Guide
Pray a prayer of thanks to God that He not only rules over the heavens, but also the earth, and over every area of your life. Therefore, you can trust Him to have control over your life even when you feel like you don't.
Day 10: INADEQUACIES - Proverbs 20:24 (NASB)
A man’s steps are ordained by the Lord;
How then can a person understand his way?
Reflection Questions
-Although we make decisions for ourselves, according to this passage, who ultimately determines each of our steps?
-Is there currently a step in your life that you feel uncertain about? Was there a past step that you feel regretful about? How does this passage address these steps?
Prayer Guide
Dear God,
Thank You that You are sovereign and You ultimately determine every step of my life because You know what's best for me. Although I feel uncertain or regretful about ____ step, You allowed it to happen for a reason. I can trust You that it's for my good, to grow in my character, to grow in my faith, to grow in knowing how trustworthy and loving You are to me. I don't always understand the steps You lead me through in life because You are God and Your ways are higher than my ways, but help me to trust and enjoy You more as I journey this life with You.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen