30 Day Devotional
Introduction
The importance of faith formations in the household cannot be understated. According to the Barna Group (a Christian Research Firm) recent data shows, “respondents say Christianity was “passed down” to them by a particular relative (59%), though sometimes another family member was exploring faith around the same time as the respondent (11%). More than half of those who report growing up in the faith (57%) say they were Christian at the time of their birth, a response that is revealing either of their theology or of how extensively Christianity permeated their upbringing. Practicing Christians most often credit their parents as the individuals who helped impart faith to them.” We wanted to provide a resource for parents and students that would encourage household faith formation through the spiritual discipline of daily devotions. Inside you will find 30 days of devotions that are meant to encourage you and your family to not only read the scriptures but to apply them to your lives. The format is easy to follow and is meant to encourage you to practice what you the scripture and devotions for that day, working through the action items, and then concluding with reading the prayer. You can assign one person to lead the devotion time daily or split the reading portions up between everyone (make it your own). It is our prayer that this devotion adds to your family faith formation in the present and for the years to come.
Day 1 GOD’S ACTIONS VERSUS OUR REACTIONS
Scripture
Exodus 5:1-6:13
Devotion
Have you ever been through a tough time? Maybe it felt like the situation would never change. Many times, in life we find ourselves in places where we feel helpless and without hope.
When you read the above scriptures, we could easily say this is how the children of Israel felt under the suffering of Pharaoh. After hundreds of years of suffering, out of the blue a deliverer named Moses shows up on the scene claiming to be sent by God.
If you look carefully you will see that God is the one who starts everything; from the call of Moses to the 10 plagues. We could say that God is consistent in His actions and in almost every case the people (humans) are inconsistent in their reactions.
You would think that the children of Israel would be happy to get out of their sufferings, but their reactions tell a different story. Sometimes when we have been stuck in a situation for so long, we forget that what we once considered abnormal has become normal to us.
Here’s the good news, God is still saying, “Let my people go”! The question is what will your reaction be to his freeing word?
Action
Can you think of a time in your life where you felt stuck and God was wanting to set you free? If so, share this story and how your reaction determined your direction.
Prayer
Lord, we thank you for always going first. Thank you for your words that set us free and bring us life. In Jesus name, Amen.
Day 2
Scripture
Psalms 83:1 - 4; 13 -18
Devotion
LEAN ON YOUR TEAM
In Psalm 83, Israel cries out to God for deliverance from their enemies. Israel was facing a crisis or what we would call today, a national emergency. They were facing multiple armies who had joined forces against them. Even when a goal is negative, unity is a force that can make an army, a nation, or a family hard to stop.
How did God’s people meet this challenge? With unity! You fight unity with unity! Unity is just as effective when the goal is positive. With one voice, Israel acknowledged who God was, told God the trouble they were facing, asked God for His help, and expressed confidence that God would hear and deliver them. Of course, they felt fear at that moment, but as a nation they leaned on one another and on God in the power of unity.
Action
In prayer, ask God for His grace to help you and your spouse to come together in whatever area in which you don't see eye to eye.
“Teamwork makes the dream work!” Choose a challenging but doable outdoor or indoor activity game that requires effective communication to complete. (Cooking or baking together is a challenging but fun activity, which can easily include children. Make sure to assign an age-appropriate task for younger hands.)
Prayer
Pray Psalm 135 together this week as a family. In your own words, ask God to help you walk out this scripture in small and in large ways as a family.
Day 3 SINGING A NEW SONG
Scripture
Psalm 149
Devotion
I’m sure we’re all aware that the Bible instructs us to gather together and sing songs to worship God. That’s why every Sunday we start off our time together by praising and worshiping through song and instruments. It’s an essential part of gathering “in the congregation of the godly ones”. But have you ever realized that we are also instructed to sing to the Lord a NEW song?
I believe whether we are gifted singers or not, we ALL have a song to sing. So many of the Psalms simply list all of the great acts God did for the people of Israel. Other Psalms talk about the nature of God and his attributes. However, many Psalms were brutally honest about the difficult things the writers were experiencing: fear, anxiety, anger and frustration. It’s all there, it’s all in song form and it’s ALL worship to God; the good, the bad and the ugly!
Action
- As a family, discuss the main emotion you’re feeling right now and what is that emotion in response to? (Examples: *I feel anxious because I have a math test. *I feel happy because I earned a special lunch.*I feel worried because my friend is not feeling well.)
- Now discuss how God may involve himself in your particular situation. Examples: (*I feel anxious because I have a math test but God always gives me peace and confidence. *I feel happy because I earned a special lunch, and God is proud of me because He cares about the things I care about. *I feel worried because my friend is not feeling well but I know God is a healer)
- If you’re super brave, challenge your family to put these lyrics to music and sing your new song to the Lord! Post your family on social media and tag your next gen ministry!
Optional Activity: Take your kid’s favorite new song and rewrite it to be a worship song. If it’s already a worship song, add hand motions and dance steps! Challenge your family to worship together and have fun at the same time.
Prayer
God, allow my heart and my mind to stay focused on you as I’m going throughout my day. Show me how to take my everyday activities and emotions and turn them into new songs to worship you.
Day 4 READ THE DIRECTIONS
Scripture
Psalms 119:33 - 40
Devotion
When it comes time to putting together a bookshelf, baby furniture, or any type of object that comes with multiple pieces; men tend to overlook the directions that come printed in small font on the folded paper. This project can start off easy, but can quickly turn into multiple hours of sweat and frustration that could have been avoided if the directions were read in the first place. Even though it looks like an easy project to complete, the directions will tell you which type of tools will be required to get the finished product. What could have been a 30 minute project has now taken up so much of your time even until you had to disassemble the “bookshelf” in order to get it right.
Can we reflect in our lives and see that our pride can get in the way of us acknowledging that we still need direction and guidance to get the end results? Can we honestly look within ourselves to see that we think we know more than the manufacturer at times?
Now, let's look at our walk with Christ. Have you tried to create your own relationship with God based upon your own standards and your personal schedule. “Here God, this is what I can handle with you. And this reading the Bible (directions) thing, I’ll just wait.” When faced with an obstacle, we should have read His Instructions that has already given us a way of escape in times of trouble. In His Word, we can see that He teaches us how to live our daily lives even with the surprises.
Today let’s make a new commitment to reading His word as the directive for our lives and family. I believe we’ll find useful insight that will bring us closer to him, and we’ll also find hidden life gems that will reveal His purpose for each of us.
Action
What areas in your life have you not read His directions to give you guidance? What do you need to do today (practically, emotionally) to make the adjustments to learn His Word and principles?
Prayer
Lord, forgive us (me) for not making your word a priority in our (my) life. We ask that you show us the areas in our lives that been a distraction so we can do our part to remove them to pursue you. We put our trust in you and your word to lead and guide our lives. Amen
Day 5 I NEED THEE
Scripture
Psalm 119:33-40
Devotion
As followers of Christ, I believe we can all relate to this Psalm. I think it is safe to say that a hungry heart wrote this very psalm to stir within us a remembrance of how much we truly need Him. Throughout life, we often choose to go about decisions our own way and struggle with staying on course with the will and ways of God, but it doesn’t mean that our desire to remain obedient doesn’t exist. This psalm was written for that very reason, to bring us back to the center of it all and to remind us of the splendor and beauty of living a life in pursuit of Him. We cannot achieve perfection on our own. It is in our dependence on Him that he delights and shows himself strong. In my personal experience, parenting often reminds me of just how much I need Him, His guidance, His words, and most importantly His wisdom. So, if you lose focus, fall off the wagon, or simply miss the mark, be encouraged in this very portion of scripture and know that our dependence on God will keep us on course.
Action
What is one area of your life where you need God to help you ‘stay the course’? Has this been an area where you have experienced a lack of follow through on your part in the past? Don’t be discouraged! Instead, create a plan to help you stay the course. Make a list of 5 simple things you could do daily to help you remain on track in that specific area and seek God daily to help empower you to do so!
Prayer
Pray Psalm 119:33-40 together as a family.
Day 6 TOTAL BODY EXPERIENCE
Scripture
Psalm 119:33-40
Devotion
There is a certain style of working out that is called HIIT. HIIT stands for high intensity interval training and is a great cardio workout done in short burst. The benefits are numerous but one of the greatest, is that even after you are done with the workout, the body will keep burning calories at a high rate throughout the rest of the day.
One of the keys to this type of workout is giving your all for the short burst of time. It also requires that your total body work together because of the exercise combinations involved.
When reading these scriptures above the Psalmist tells us that in order to follow God’s ways, we must involve our total bodies from our head, to our heart, and even our feet.
Just like the HIIT workout that carries benefits even after you are done with the workout. When we give our all to following God’s word, the benefits last long after we have initially consumed the bread of Life.
Action
Go on a family walk. It can be outside or even walk around your house or living room. As you are walking think about all your body parts and what they do to assist you in walking. Next, imagine that you lost a body part, an eye, or a foot and how difficult it would be to walk. Maybe even go a step further and cover your eyes to get a real experience. Here’s the point, when we don’t use all of ourselves to follow God, we are making it more difficult.
What part of yourself have you neglected to give fully to God? Prayer
Jesus, we fully commit as a family to give you all of ourselves in order to follow your ways. We thank you for the Holy Spirit that you have given us to make this commitment possible. In your name we pray, amen.
Day 7 IN THIS TOGETHER
Scripture
Psalm 121; Exodus 12:14 - 28
Devotion
Action
We are more focused on what we can control. Realistically, what can you control? When a circumstance arises this week that you did not expect, ask yourself: What is in my power to control? What is not in my power to control?
Prayer
Pray Psalms 121 as a family. Also, If a loved
one expresses discouragement, listen with
compassion. After listening, encourage them
to think of one or two things to be thankful
for in the midst of their challenge. In prayer,
ask God to give you the grace to encourage
your loved ones, instead of trying to
control/fix their attitude or response to a
challenge or a problem.
Day 8 HELP!
Scripture
Psalm 121
Devotion
It’s so easy to get overwhelmed with life - sometimes just the everyday scheduling, work, school, laundry, healthy eating, chores, and church activities can be overwhelming and then add in a worldwide pandemic plus rising social justice concerns and an upcoming election - it’s enough to send anyone over the edge. Am I right?
When we are in the midst of facing such large circumstances, sometimes even the smallest of task can leave us screaming “CAN I GET SOME HELP HERE???? DOES ANYBODY IN THIS HOUSE DO ANYTHING BESIDES ME??” (or is that just me??). When we find ourselves in those stress filled moments it’s easy to look at the people surrounding us and long for help. Actually, God designed us to need help. We see this at the very beginning of creation when He made Adam. We all know God made Adam but he quickly states that man was not created to be alone and so he made a “helpmate” a person that could come in and fit into Adam and become everything Adam lacked.
For that reason, it’s our human instinct to look for help from the people around us but ultimately our only true help comes from God who is the creator of heaven and earth.
Action
- Are there areas in our life that we need to ask for help from our family members?
- What is our main concern right now with which only God can help us? 3.
- What does it look like when God is our help?
Prayer
Pray that God reveals the areas in your life that you are needing help that only he can give. Pray that God teaches you how to receive his help.
Day 9 FRUIT AND FAITH
Scripture
Matthew 21:18 - 22
Devotion
In this passage of scripture, Jesus confronts the fruitless fig tree where he speaks to the tree and it withered immediately. Jesus also addresses the battle between faith and doubt in the life of the believer in order to overcome obstacles (mountains and areas of life that are not producing fruit). Having faith is necessary in order to believe in God and to please Him. But have you thought about that Jesus gives us the example of how to deal with the fruitless areas? We all have experienced the areas that have been fruitless or even stagnant. Jesus shows us that it takes faith to produce fruit, and it takes faith to remove fruitlessness.
It can be easy to pray comfortable prayers that God gives you a blessing, a promotion, an “A” on a homework assignment or a test. But God may be inviting us to examine our lives that are “just comfortable”. Have you prayed for God to reveal the areas, the relationships, habits, and patterns that are just fruitless?
When looking at the life of Jesus, everything He did was producing fruit. What areas of your life are not reflecting the example Jesus gave to produce Christlike fruit?
Action
Get a piece of paper, draw a big circle, and divide the circle like a pizza into 8 slices. Write a topic that best suits you and your family in each of the slices: Spirituality, Family, Health/Wellness, Social Life, Money, Learning, Work, Rest, Creativity, Giving Back/Volunteering. Now take a few moments to pray and ask the Lord to show you areas that you are fruitful and fruitless. On a scale of 1-10, 1 being fruitless and 10 being fruitful, measure each slice that represents you to see what is fruitless and fruitful to get an idea of what you need to take to the Lord in prayer to remove completely or needs time to grow/mature in Him. I encourage you to create a plan in order to grow in certain areas. Please feel free to contact the pastoral staff if you need assistance or accountability.
Prayer
Lord, I open my heart (emotions, intellect, and will) for you to examine what is not like you. Help me to live my life that truly reflects Your fruitfulness to bring You glory. I choose to go on this journey of growth to become more like you. Amen.
Day 10 EXTENDING GRACE
Scripture
Psalm 103:8-13
Devotion
David penned this beautiful Psalm in the midst of experiencing hardship and struggle. In the middle of the toughest moments of his life, he wrote of the compassion and love of Christ. There is so much to be learned from this Psalm. As a family unit, we often experience moments of struggle. Moments where showing one another loving-kindness, compassion, mercy, and grace do not come so easily. But allow the words of David to encourage you. David expresses how in his worst moments, God saw past his mistakes and simply loved him. In life, our spouse or children may disappoint us but take those opportunities to love in the face of unwelcome challenges. Extend the mercy and grace of Christ and allow God to show himself in you!
Action
Take a moment and visit the website www.5lovelanguages.com. This site does a masterful job of helping individuals figure out their love languages to discover how they give and receive love from others. They have resources for couples, singles, teens, and children. This is a great opportunity to discover how you like to be loved and how to love those closest to you in the most intimate way. Take your family through this simple quiz and gather together to discuss your results.
Prayer
Pray Psalm 103:8-13 together as a family and ask God to help you love one another as the Father loved David.
Day 11 WASTE OR WISDOM?
Scripture
Acts 7:9-16
Devotion
Did you know that the roots of the famous idiom 'one man’s trash is another man’s treasure' can be traced back to another idiom in 1576 (this version states, 'one man’s meat is another man’s poison').
The reason this saying still rings true today, is well…because it’s true. Your perspective of something will determine how much value you put on it. In the above scriptures, we see two very different perspectives on Joseph’s life. His brothers saw him as waste. Yet the Bible tells us God gave him wisdom and favor, so in Pharaoh’s eyes he was of much value.
This begs the question, what in your life have you considered waste that in God’s grace, you have been given wisdom?
Action
Can you think of one area/thing that you or maybe even someone else told you was a waste in your life? How can God actually be using this as wisdom?
Prayer
Holy God, we come before you as a family now and recognize that you know all things. We ask you now to allow us to see your wisdom in those things we may have considered a waste. We ask for your favor in our lives, so that we as a family can lift up your name for others to see. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Day 12 HELP!
Scripture
Psalm 114, Exodus 15:19-21, Matthew 6:7-15 Devotion
Have you ever been stuck on the side of the road? Your car stalled? Isn't that the worst feeling?! About a month and a half ago, my sisters, myself and my mom were on our way to deliver some cookies that I had baked for my niece and nephews. As we were on our way, it began to pour down rain. Looking back now, I should have insisted that we turn around. I could have delivered those cookies another day, but I wanted to deliver them while they were fresh. (Poor choice #1!) After stopping for a few minutes to wait for the rain to let up, we continued. It was not long, however, before we came to a BIG puddle of water. Since we saw other cars making it through, we thought we could too. (Poor choice #2!) We were wrong! It was a sad sight, but there we were stuck in the water after trying to make it through. As other cars drove around us, we sat there stuck, feeling helpless and embarrassed. Thankfully, though, it wasn't too long before a woman at an apartment complex across the street saw us and called the non-emergency police number for help. Not long after that, officer Dawn, who was on her way to a bigger emergency, stayed with us, directing traffic around us, until she knew we could get help. Soon, three people stopped to help push us out of the water and onto the side of the road.
Whew! We experienced such a feeling of relief much similar to the feeling of relief when the psalmist remembers how God delivered Israel from slavery. You can almost sense that feeling of relief and overwhelming joy at God's deliverance. God wants to be our help and deliverer from or through every challenge we face. Even when we put ourselves into the circumstance, He is our refuge and deliverer. Trust me, even when you make the wrong choices, and should have turned around, He won't leave you stuck and will send help.
Action
This week have each family member write down or draw a picture of a time God helped them. Fold up the paper and put it in a jar. At the end of the week, pick a night during dinner where each person shares their story. (Don't worry if you can only think of one thing; do this weekly until your family gets better at seeing how God helps us in little ways and big ones every day!)
Prayer
Pray Psalm 114; also, in your own words, say a prayer of thanksgiving to God. Reflect on the good things He has done for you and your family.
Day 13 CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART
Scripture
Psalm 51 "Create in me a clean heart, Oh God and put a new and right spirit within me”
Devotion
This year has been tumultuous at best. I have found when we walk through “shaking” seasons that it often begins to reveal who we really are, likewise it begins to reveal who the people are around us. Sometimes this can be a positive thing as it reveals the good in people but since we are all sinful humans, it undoubtedly reveals our sins and weaknesses as well.
I love this entire scripture because it is so powerful in walking us through repentance and forgiveness. It’s so important that as our sins and weaknesses are revealed that we repent before God. It’s also so powerful that we learn to repent to one another as a family. The author of Psalm 51 doesn’t just stop with asking for forgiveness, he actually requests that God create a completely new heart and new and right spirit within him. It’s like he’s saying ‘don’t just forgive me but totally recreate my heart and spirit so that I am clean and I won’t sin in this way again’. Wow! What a powerful prayer to not only learn but to teach my family!
It’s important that we learn to receive the “recreated spirit” type of forgiveness and it's also so important that we learn to give that kind of forgiveness. It’s easy to believe that we know our spouses, children, parents, siblings etc so well that we can almost anticipate what they're going to do or how they will respond. However, we have to be able to allow our family members to grow, to be forgiven and to be recreated! We have to learn to believe the best about those closest to us. If God knows everything about the evil inside our heart and spirit and still chooses to not only forgive us but recreate us from the inside out, can we learn to forgive each other and allow each other room for growth?
Action & Prayer
- As a family, confess a sin or a weakness from which you would like to be completely clean. If there are any offenses in the family, they should be addressed at this time as well.
- Pray Psalm 51 together. Ask God to forgive and to create a new heart and new spirit inside of you.
- Spend a few minutes affirming each other. You may want to say something like “in the past, you have struggled with (insert struggle) but I believe tonight, God has cleansed you and made you new”.
- Make a conscious effort to believe the best about every family and commit to helping them in their journey with Christ to become whole.
Day 14 WE'VE COME THIS FAR BY FAITH
Scripture
Hebrews 11: 23 - 29
Devotion
I believe we can all say this year of 2020 has been quite the year with all of the uncertainties of the pandemic, educational decisions, racial injustices, the elections, unemployment, etc. Despite the pain we all faced at some level, can we look back through God’s eyes to see how far we all have come?
With gratefulness in our hearts, let’s take 60 seconds to bring to speech how good God has been to us.(This is what we call a Praise Break)
When looking at today’s passage of scripture, we see Moses working his faith in difficult phases of his life. We also see at verse 23, his parent’s faith at work by hiding baby Moses because they knew he was destined to be great in the future. This passage shows us we have to work our faith especially when there is chaos and uncertainty around us.
Parents, have you found yourself in a place where you didn’t know how to move forward with a situation but eventually God opened a door for you and your family? I’m sure we all can look back to see those dark moments in our lives felt permanent but actually were temporary. We can see that by faith, Moses made bold decisions that went against his culture to follow God. Today, I want charge you to see beyond the circumstances and frustration so that you can see the faithfulness of God at work in your life right now.
Action
Get a piece of paper or use the notes on your phone, and to write out a list of things where you know God was working in your life. Also add to the list where you worked your faith to see an outcome. Lastly, write down the areas you are still struggling in your faith, and find scripture(s) to build your faith in those areas.
Prayer
Lord, I want to thank you for your faithfulness to me and my family. Thank you that your word has empowered me to trust you even in the unknown. I continue to trust you and to build my faith through your Holy Word. Amen.
Day 15 FIND YOUR TRIBE
Scripture
Psalm 133
Devotion
How many times have you heard, “I don’t have to go to church to love God”? Throughout life, I have heard this statement made time and time again. If I am being honest, before I gave my heart to the Lord, I think I believed this statement too. But oh, how my feelings have changed since I’ve given my life to Him.
This Psalm expresses the importance of unity and more importantly community. Over the years I have discovered how invaluable my church community has been to myself and my family. It was in some of our hardest seasons where our church community rallied around us and saw us through to the other side. 8 years ago, our son was diagnosed with kidney disease and I truly do not know what we would have done without our church family and the body of Christ. They stood in the gap for us and contended for his healing as if he were their own.
Community is so vital and today is often overlooked. The busyness of life can easily distract us from truly investing in those around us but the fact of the matter is that we need one another. Don’t waste another moment, find your tribe! In the words of Eugene Peterson, “No Christian is an only child”.
Action
Ask yourself, Am I connected to my church community? If you are, is there anything that you could do to strengthen your community? If you’re not connected, what is holding you back? What would you like to see amongst a community that you are connected to and doing life with?
Prayer
Pray Psalm 133 together as a family and then discuss ways that your family can get connected to your local church.
Day 16 DID YOU FORGET ALREADY?
Scripture
Exodus 5:1-6:13
Devotion
Two people were talking about a mutual friend. One was very critical. The other said, “I am surprised to hear you say that. It was my impression that they had done many nice things for you.” The other replied, “Yes, but they have not done anything lately.”
Many times, in our walk with God, we can act like the critical friend in the illustration above.
We live in such an instant culture and in a culture that does not value the past as much as what is to come. But the scripture reading today reminds us to remember what God has done.
The power of remembering what God has done, gives us the strength to cry out to God and to be confident that He hears those cries. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. Let us remember to look to Him in the yesterday as well as today and forever.
Action
Name one instance in the past that God surprised you with His goodness. Name one instance in the past that God showed up in a miraculous way. Name one instance in the past that God answered a prayer on your behalf.
Prayer
God the Father, we thank you as a family that you hear our cry. Jesus, we are grateful for the life you lived that enables our little family to be a part of the big family of God. Holy Spirit, we ask that you continue to bring back to our memories the great deeds that have occurred in our past, that will give us hope for the now and the future. We ask all this in Jesus name. Amen.
Day 17 Touche'
Scripture
Psalm 105: 1 - 6; 37-45; Exodus 15: 22 - 27; 2 Corinthians 13: 1 - 4
Devotion
Whenever I read the story of Israel's journey through the wilderness and how often they complained, it is exasperating. I think I feel like that mom, who, after working a long day, cooks a delicious meal for her family, and someone begins complaining about the meal. "I don't like spaghetti!" "Meatloaf again?!" As a cook myself, I must confess that complaining about a meal I have prepared is my Achilles heel. You remember the story of Achilles, right? In Greek mythology, Achilles was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, Homer's Iliad's central character.
But every hero has his or her 'kryptonite,' and it was his heel for Achilles. Why? his heel was the only place on his body where he was vulnerable. As the story goes, to protect her son by dipping him in the water to make him strong, Achilles' mother held him by the heel, the only place that wasn't touched by the water. As fate would have it, that is how this great hero would be defeated: by an arrow into his heel.
As a parent, like Achilles' mother, perhaps you feel that you are doing your best to provide for your children, but if one small thing isn't exactly how they want it, you get complaints. Well, that is the position God was in with Israel often. In Exodus 15, we read that God made bitter waters sweet after Israel complained of the water's taste. Never mind that they had gone three days without water in a wilderness! No big deal, right?! However, that is not the worst part; in the earlier chapter, God had forever delivered Israel from Pharaoh and the bondage of slavery. (see Exodus 14). Their rescue was nothing short of spectacular, but even after that, they still didn't fully trust God and complained!
However, in my exasperation, as I read, I can sense God asking me, "Would your response have been any different from Israel's?" or, "haven't you ever childishly complained about what I have provided for you, at times? Haven't you also failed to trust Me?" Touché' God, touché. You got me! Repenting of my exasperation, I realize that this is my story too. What I am reading is not just about them, but me as well.
Action
This week ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of when you fall into complaining or ingratitude. When He does, confess it, then ask God to help you to be thankful. This week compete (in a friendly way) to see who can go the most days without complaining. At the end of the week, the person with the most days gets to choose dinner or the movie for family movie night.
Prayer
Incorporate these scriptures into your personal and family prayer time. 1 Peter 4:9-10 & Philippians 2:14-15
Day 18 WHO ARE YOU COMPLAINING ABOUT?
Scripture
Exodus 16:1-21
Devotion
Imagine all of the miracles and acts of God it took for Israel to be released from slavery (for example: excess frogs, locust, flies, boils, hail… oh my!!). The Children of Israel leave Egypt only for Pharaoh to change his mind and send his army to chase them. They witnessed a mighty act of God as Pharaoh's army all drowned in the sea behind them.
Fast forward two months later and the Israelites are HUNGRY. They start to grumble and complain that they would have rathered died in Egyptian slavery then be in this wilderness hungry. I get it, you’re not yourself when you’re hungry, but you’d rather be DYING in SLAVERY?? Wow! What a statement! Had they forgotten every miracle they had seen the Lord perform right before their very eyes?
I love Moses and the leader’s response. They remind the people that when they grumble against leadership, they are actually grumbling against the Lord. I’m sure we’ve all seen the Lord do amazing things in our lives and the lives of others, but when we are in the middle of frustrating situations it’s easy to get into a cycle of grumbling and complaining. We quickly forget all the amazing things God has done in our lives and we focus on what’s not working right now. What we may not realize is that when we complain against leadership (Parents, Pastors, Teachers etc.) we are actually complaining against God himself.
Action
- Identify areas or people in your life that you frequently grumble and complain about. List the ways you can be thankful in that situation.
- Did you realize when you were complaining against that authority figure that you were actually complaining against God? Does that change your attitude concerning the situation?
- Are there situations in your life in which you have a serious need for change, or are experiencing an injustice? How might you deal with that situation other than complaining?
Prayer
Take a minute to thank God specifically for every good gift He has given. Ask the Holy Spirit to be a comfort and a guide for you as you navigate uncomfortable or trying situations. Purpose in your heart to have a heart of thanksgiving and avoid grumbling and complaining through the help of the Holy Spirit.
Day 19 GET SOME REST
Scripture
Exodus 16: 22 - 30
Devotion
Work! Work! Work! Study! Study! Study! Be good! Do good! And don’t forget... Our society has groomed us to do the most in the least amount of time. There is this pressure “to be busy” in order to be deemed as a hard worker. For students, the pressure to play as many sports as possible, band, club, theater, AP and honor classes, etc. is a constant push, all just to get some scholarships for college. If you don’t get enough scholarships, then get student loans that will put you in debt for years only to barely find a job where it’ll take you 20 plus years to pay it off. What?!
So let’s think about this question. Why are we working so hard? What are you trying to achieve? And where is Jesus in all of this? I’m not saying don’t work hard, but our culture doesn't celebrate the time to REST. Even Jesus took time to step away from his “work” just to REST.
Action
I challenge you today purposefully, plan a day with your family to REST. Enjoy each other’s company, CELEBRATE, pray, read together, have a game night, date night, or take yourself out on a date. Have time to recharge so you continue to do work and school with excellence.
Prayer
Lord, forgive us for being caught up being busy and working where we haven’t taken time to rest. I choose to start dedicating time in my week to rest so I can be the best version of myself you desire.
Day 20 HE IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED!
Scripture
Psalm 145:1-8
Devotion
Have you ever loved or enjoyed something so much that you couldn’t stop talking or thinking about it? Maybe it is your favorite sports team, hobby, career, or TV show. When we discover something that we love, we just can’t keep it to ourselves. We often find ourselves sharing that love with others.
That is exactly what David expresses in this Psalm. He can’t contain the goodness of God that he has experienced in his life. David continues to give praise to God even when things didn’t look good in his personal life because he knew that God's goodness didn’t waver even when he fell short.
There’s so much to be learned from his beautiful praise unto the Lord. Why is it that we can find ourselves boasting of our favorite sports team or figure but afraid to share or even recognize how God has been good in our lives?
May we all take our lead from David and learn to talk about the grace, mercy, and goodness of God to those we come into contact with daily. Even in your family, encourage one another with reminders of who God is. Watch your perspective and speech change within yourself, family, and relationships just by being like David and declaring who God is!
Action
Gather as a family tonight and share two to three areas where you have seen the goodness of God in your life just this week. If you want to go further, make this a weekly routine. Whether it be around the dinner table or having a family meeting, come together and take time out to recognize what God has done for each of you and share!
Prayer
Father, we thank you that in the midst of everything we may face, your goodness never changes. May we begin to recognize the goodness of God in every situation we face. Amen!
Day 21 RELATIONSHIP OR RECOGNITION?
Scripture
Romans 16:1-16
Devotion
Quickly, I want you to think of 1 famous person in the Bible, Ready, Set, Go… Ok, now say that name out loud…
If I were a betting person, I would bet you did not name Phoebe, or Prisca, Aquila and I’m most certain you didn’t say, Rufus. But each of these women and men are mention by the great and famous Apostle Paul, in one of the most influential theological books in the Bible. If you study each of them, they played major roles in their respective cities and churches, yet we hardly hear of them except in greetings such as we read today. Paul shows us the power of a greeting by naming each of these people. He honors them by calling out their names so that they feel seen without seeking to be recognized. Each had a unique relationship with Paul during their time period yet are not widely recognized today.
As Christians we should seek to build relationships over being recognized. Most of us will never have a building named after us, nor have a statue made in our likeness, but just because you will not be recognized in that way doesn’t mean we can’t have an impact in the relationships that we have. Build relationship and make others feel seen, don’t seek for recognition on your own.
Action
How does it change the way you approach relationships if you are not seeking to be recognized?
Challenge: Try and meet someone new at school, work, or church and learn their name. Then the next time you see that person, greet them 1st by calling them by their name. Studies show most people are not called by name and therefore feel unseen. Maybe God will use you to make someone else feel seen.
Prayer
Jesus, we are grateful that you see us as a family and as unique people. Your word says that you know us so well, that you have number the hairs on our heads. Holy Spirit we ask that you give us the eyes to see other people they way you see them. Let us be used to make them feel seen by you. In your name we pray, amen.
Day 22 HUNGRY?
Scripture
Psalm 119:97-104, Numbers 11:1-9, Romans 16:17-20.
Devotion
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "give us this day our daily bread…" no doubt, He recalled the story of God's provision for His people in the wilderness. There is a recurring theme in all three of the scripture readings for today: appetite and food. The Psalmist David said that God's word to him was sweet like honey; he speaks of his desire or longing for God's word repeatedly all through Psalms 119 and in other Psalms written by him. For all of David's glaring imperfections, his passion for God and His word shines through and defines him as a man after God's own heart.
The children of Israel, in contrast, had an appetite; however, their desire drove them to forget the bitterness and hopelessness of their former bondage to Pharaoh in Egypt and away from God. When God gave them their, "daily bread," whether, in the form of His law or physical food, it was not what they had an appetite wanted. They despised what God provided for them, saying, "We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna." How easily we forget our bondage's horror when God does not provide for us exactly the way we would like Him to! The food they described as 'free' came at the cost of their freedom and dignity. How short our memory can be? In the end, Israel's appetite, like David's, marked their story and their relationship with God. One appetite leads to knowing God and being known by God. In contrast, the other led to wandering and constant dissatisfaction and missed blessings.
Action
A healthy appetite develops with practice. Daily scripture reading and prayer, healthier foods, physical activity, drinking water, or reading can create a healthy desire through better habits by choosing them daily. This week, along with daily scripture reading and prayer, each family member should choose one of the underlined healthier habits above and do it daily. Eat one fruit or vegetable, move for 5-10 minutes, drink an extra glass of water, or read for 10 minutes. As that one habit becomes second nature to you, add another! A healthy appetite, like a great castle, is built one brick at a time.
Prayer
In your prayer time, make it a habit to pray Psalms 119: 97-104 every day. God knows that we need to develop a desire for His word. As you pray, trust that the Holy Spirit is creating a deep longing in you for God and His Word.
Day 23 WHO IS THE GREATEST?
Scripture
Matthew 18:1-5
Devotion
A lot of people define greatness as something that can be achieved one day after many challenges are overcome, many successes are made or after someone exhibits great faith. Jesus completely redefines greatness in this passage by using a child as the example.
What is it about children that provokes Jesus to use them as the example for greatness?
Children are born completely dependent on their "creators". As we age and mature, it's the natural thing to do to become more independent but in the Kingdom of Heaven as we grow, Jesus invites us to humble ourselves and become completely dependent upon Him.
Apostle Paul says it best in 2 Corinthians 12:9-11"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness". The more weak and dependent we are in an area, the more Christ can reveal himself through us.
Action
Host a family arm wrestling contest. Have the strongest family member assist the smallest/weakest family member during all the battles. Demonstrate that when we humble ourselves and completely depend on God, we can win any battle no matter how strong our opponent.
Prayer
Ask God to help you redefine greatness and to show you areas where you are trying to "wrestle" in your own strength.
Day 24 I TRUST THE LORD AND I WANT TO GROW
Scripture
Psalms 25: 1 - 9
Devotion
As we read the Psalms, we hear the prayer of King David trusting in the Lord despite his enemies. We also read where he desires to be taught God’s truth. As we’re spending time with the Lord, let it not be a routine thing to just get it done. Allow for your heart to be open to learn the ways of the Lord. Our time with the Lord should also be reflective to see where we’ve grown, and where we need to grow.
As believers, we should be hungry to know God more than just attending church, serving in church, but a deep desire to know more about Him. We ought to be hungry for His word because that brings the growth and transformation. Here’s the great part, God desires to teach us His ways. He wants to show us more of who He is, but we will only receive what we are willing to put into the relationship with Him.
Action
If you are struggling to be hungry for God, take some time to see what you are putting your energy towards that could be a distraction. Are you prioritizing and committing time to learn more about God and His word? What can you do today to make a step closer to know God more?
Prayer
Lord, I desire to know you more and to know your truth. Search my heart and show me anything that is separating me from knowing You. Amen
Day 25 PURPOSEFUL PARENTING
Scripture
Psalm 78:1-4
Devotion
Parenting is no easy task but is easily the most rewarding labor of love that human beings have the privilege of experiencing. Whether it be biologically or spiritually, being purpose-driven when leading a rising generation has to be of great importance. The Psalmist here is expressing the importance of sharing or knowing God with those who are coming up behind us. A great place to see the need for this the most is in the home. Sharing with our kids the good works of the Lord, to trust God, to obey God, and the importance of His word has to be lived out in front of our children. Being examples by living out the word in our daily lives will be the most impactful way to lead in our homes. Talking about our walk and experiences with our kids allows them the confidence to go about their own walk. Let us pass on stories of God's goodness to our rising generations and create a legacy of spiritual faithfulness.
Action
Create a family fun night! Have your child/children pick a fun activity that the whole gang with enjoy. Be intentional with this time and give one another your full attention (this is a great opportunity to ditch technology for the evening). At the end of the evening, come together and discuss what you loved most about the night and make plans for the next one.
Prayer
God, we thank you for your faithfulness in our lives and we invite you into every area of our life. Fill us Father and bless our future generations. Amen!
Day 26 GENERATION TO GENERATION.
Scripture
Psalm 78:1-4
Devotion
Do you have any family or cultural traditions? If so, name one.
Now, if there are people who don’t know why the tradition is done, explain it to them.As with all things some traditions are worth keeping and some are worth stopping. One determining factor is answering the question, what is the why behind the tradition?If it’s good, keep it, if not maybe you should stop the tradition and start a new one.
The reading today reminds us of the power and responsibility of passing along our faith tradition from generation to generation. If you look closely at the text, it urges us to talk about the highs and lows of our journey all with the purpose of praising God for his strength and wonders in our life.
Action
What have been some low points in your faith journey?
How can you see this now as God’s strength and wonders in your life? What is one faith tradition that you can start as a family from this day forward?
Challenge: Look up some of these weird traditions: La Tomatina in Spain Monkey Buffet Festival in Thailand Cheese-rolling in England Prayer
Jesus, we come before you now as a family and acknowledge your strength and wonders in this generation. While it was not fun going through the low points, we see now how you were always working things out for our good. We commit as a family to continue to pass along our faith tradition from generation to generation. In your name we pray, amen.
Day 27 BE LIKE CHRIST
Scripture
Exodus 17:1-7, Psalm 78:1-4, Psalm 78:12-16, Philippians 2:1-13.
Devotion
Not too long ago, I listened to a pastor teach on singleness and marriage from 1st Corinthians 7. One of his main points was that marriage is a picture of Christ and the Church. In one of the series's sermons, he spoke on commitment and how, many times, keeping a marriage covenant can be inconvenient. From the scripture readings above, Philippians 2:1-13 captures the heart of what it means not only to love but how costly and inconvenient it can be to love as Christ did. Let's be honest: We don't love like Christ loves the Church or the way God loved Israel in their constant rebellion. Think about it. How often do we gripe (aloud or silently) when we can put our spouse's, child's, friend, family member, or even our enemies need above our own? Now, I can hear what you are thinking, "If I don't look out for myself or my needs, no one will!" Well, at least that is a fear that I wrestle with at times.
When we talk about preferring another above ourselves, there is always a fear that arises in us that we will become a doormat for people to walk on and that our needs will be neglected. However, real love doesn't require that we become doormats or to neglect our needs. St. Francis of Assisi said it best, "For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen." How contrary that is to human nature! However, it is what we are called to. "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus…"
So, it is easier said than done but prefer others above yourself. Give without the fear of not getting your needs met, because, from the example of Jesus, who was not a doormat, or ever neglected by the Father, even when it looks like you are on the bottom of the list, you can always trust the Father to care for you when you serve others.
Action
God has called us to prefer others above ourselves, but not to burn ourselves out. Your role as a spouse, a parent, friend, employee, or boss requires a tremendous amount of your energy. This week identify one or two things that are energy drainers ( too much tv, social media, too much junk food, or friends that are constantly negative), and use that time to refuel yourself through prayer/reading scripture, going to bed earlier, or waking up earlier, journaling for 5 minutes at the start or at the end of your day, or taking a walk outdoors.
Prayer
In your own words, thank God for the example of Jesus, who preferred others above Himself and trusted the Father to care for Him. Also, ask the Holy Spirit, to help you to be intentional about taking time alone with God in prayer and scripture reading; ask God to give you the wisdom to know what is draining energy from you unnecessarily.
Day 28 MAY YOUR LOVE ABOUND MORE AND MORE
Scripture
Psalm 42
Devotion
Have you ever wondered why God allows bad things to happen to good people? We've all had that teacher that would punish the WHOLE classroom because one person talked or got out of line. In Florida, we have frequent hurricanes and when they come, they don't just cause damage to "bad people's" houses, they hit everyone in that particular area. It can seem extremely unfair.
The author of Psalm 42, was extremely grieved. His soul was "downcast", which means he was extremely depressed and was in deep mourning - he cried day and night.
Many of us are familiar with the first part of this psalm that talks about the author's soul longing for God the way a deer pants for the water.
Grief and sorrow are not easy emotions to walk through, it may seem unfair that you dealing with your particular circumstances. However, we must remind ourselves that we have a choice when we feel sorrow. We can turn away from God, or we can turn towards God and let God fill the longing in our soul. In Psalm 34, it states that God is near to the brokenhearted.
When we long for Him, he will be near to us! When we desire God more than anything in our lives, He will allow us to be filled even in the toughest of circumstances.
Action
Talk about a time when you experienced loss or unfair time. Did you turn towards God or away from God?
Do you know someone who is walking through a particularly difficult season? Is there a way ypu could show them God's love?
Prayer
Father, help me to long for you no matter what season I am walking through. Help me to feel your nearness to me.
Day 29 STAY HYDRATED
Scripture
Psalms 42
Devotion
Summer temperatures can truly be challenging, especially when having to spend time outside. We always make efforts to remind ourselves and each other to stay hydrated. Dehydration can be very dangerous to your health, and it makes you feel sick. Usually there are signs of dehydration before it gets dangerous: dry mouth, feeling extremely tired, etc. The best way to cure dehydration is to drink lots of water throughout the day.
In the Psalms, we read that “my soul thirsts for God, for the living God”. In our previous devotion, we talked about having the desire to know God in a deeper way. Today, what is causing you to be spiritually dehydrated. There are always signs before your walk with God is in major trouble. The best way to cure spiritual dehydration is to be in God’s presence through prayer and His word. That is your reasonable act of Worship (Romans 12:1-2). To stop thirsting for God sets you up to fall away from Him. We also have to be aware of the thoughts we are creating within us. Are these thoughts the truth from Him? Are these thoughts aligned with God’s word? Are these thought motivated to please our selfish desires?
Action
As we are closing out the month, let’s reflect back to see how we have grown in our walk with the Lord. Write down the answers to these questions. Are you longing for more of God? Are you just satisfied and comfortable? What have you learned about yourself regarding your relationship with God? What areas have you grown? Where do you need to grow?
Prayer
Lord, we want to continue to grow in our relationship with You. We don’t ever want to be satisfied with just the norm. We are ready for more of You. We are thirsty for more of You. Amen.
Day 30 FINDING REST IN THE SILENCE
Scripture
Psalm 28
Devotion
Have you ever experienced a season where you asked yourself, “God where are you?”. A season where the silence of God was almost deafening? You have called on Him every way you know how but felt he couldn’t be farther away? I believe it is safe to say that every son/daughter of Christ has felt this way at some point in their lives. And if they were truly being honest, they would probably admit to feeling this way on more than one occasion.
The psalmist David expresses these very feelings in this portion of scripture. He cries out for God recklessly. Begging Him to hear his call and respond. Scripture shows us repeatedly that David was a friend of God. He sought his face continually even in his
most shameful moments and had a close relationship with the Father. But still, he experienced a silent season.
It is often easy to think God has abandoned us in these very moments. But God knows all things and His timing is perfect. Have confidence in the fact that He is for you and never against you. Sometimes patience is required and other times our prayers have been answered but don’t come delivered the way that we expected them. Have faith in God! Even in silence, he is moving!
Action
Take some time and paraphrase this very psalm but write it according to your feelings. Put yourself in David’s place and cry out to God for the things you desire from him in this season of your life. End your writing with praise and bring it before God in prayer.
Prayer
Pray Psalm 28 with your family. Ask God to speak to you in this season and express your desire to be trusting and patient in seasons where He may seem silent.
