5-5-5 Daily Devotions: Next

Next, Part 5 “We Are Thankful for Antioch”

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S.O.A.P. – “Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer”

Who in your life makes you feel “safe”? Why?

Scripture:

The Apostle Paul wrote: I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus.

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. Philippians 1:1–11 NLT

Sermon Insights:

What is “NEXT”? NEXT is building kingdom legacy in Eastern Iowa and around the world

Paul shared that he had the “special favor of God…in my imprisonment.” How can you focus on God’s presence, power, and plan in the middle of your difficulty?

If all your prayers were answered, what would be accomplished?

As you pray bold prayers, ask for God to give you bold tasks to participate in his plan!

Lord, the encouragement I receive today came because many people stayed faithful despite the struggles they faced in their lives. Thank you for Paul and the countless faithful Christians who have made disciples throughout the centuries so that I could also learn to follow you. I pray that what Paul prayed for the Philippians would be true in my life—that my love would overflow and I would keep growing in knowledge and understanding so I can be filled with the fruit of my salvation—the righteous character you are producing in my life!

What is your attitude towards pain?

Scripture:

This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.

And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.

So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:1–12 NLT

Sermon Insights:

“I thank God for your love! This is the most loving church that I have ever been a part of!” Pastor Greg

This passage explains a lot about God, his plan, the difficulties Christians have historically faced, and how God both stores up wrath for those who hurt others and also uses the difficult and temporary situation to strengthen the faith of the believer.

What is your attitude and perspective as you face the inevitable trials of this life?

How do you know that God is with you and for you?

This Scripture is filled with powerful prayers that you can pray for yourself and others. Who can you pray for?

Consider personalizing the Scripture and turning it into a prayer like this: Lord, enable me to live a life worthy of your call. Please give me the power to accomplish all the good things my faith prompts me to do. I want the name of our Lord Jesus to be honored because of the way I live, and I pray that you honor me along with Jesus. Thank you for making this possible because of the grace of Jesus Christ!

Do you think of God only in the past, present or future, or do you think of God in “all of the above”?

Scripture:

God spoke through the Old Testament prophet Isaiah: This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sakes I will send an army against Babylon, forcing the Babylonians to flee in those ships they are so proud of. I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel’s Creator and King. I am the LORD, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea. I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick.

“But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. The wild animals in the fields will thank me, the jackals and owls, too, for giving them water in the desert. Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed. I have made Israel for myself, and they will someday honor me before the whole world.

“But, dear family of Jacob, you refuse to ask for my help. You have grown tired of me, O Israel! You have not brought me sheep or goats for burnt offerings. You have not honored me with sacrifices, though I have not burdened and wearied you with requests for grain offerings and frankincense. You have not brought me fragrant calamus or pleased me with the fat from sacrifices. Instead, you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your faults.

“I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again. Let us review the situation together, and you can present your case to prove your innocence. From the very beginning, your first ancestor sinned against me; all your leaders broke my laws. That is why I have disgraced your priests; I have decreed complete destruction for Jacob and shame for Israel. Isaiah 43:14–28 NLT

Sermon Insights:

“I also thank God for your flexibility, your compassion, and your eagerness to serve.” Pastor Greg

Antioch has always been a forward-thinking church. We thank God for our past, we honor our past, we celebrate our past, we learn from our past, but we are always looking at the future.

What amazing new thing is God doing that he is letting you participate in?

What becomes apparent about God’s heart through this Scripture?

What do we learn about people through this Scripture?

What is one thing you are going to do differently today because of this Scripture?

Lord, despite your miraculous provision for your people throughout time, we are still tempted to worry about the “next” thing. Teach us to trust and obey!

Who is your hero and why? Do you attempt to imitate that person’s attitude in your own life?

Scripture:

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:1–13 NLT

Sermon Insights:

“I thank God for your generosity, your faith, and your commitment to the mission.” Pastor Greg

The Apostle Paul recognizes that there should be amazing gifts of encouragement, comfort, fellowship, etc. from being a Christian. If you have given your life to Jesus, are you experiencing these blessings?

As you think about the attitude of Jesus, how does it 1) change your perspective on Jesus, and 2) change your perspective on how you should live?

“Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.” How can you do that today?

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” Who supplies the desire and power and plan? Who supplies the willingness to participate? Why must there be both?

Lord, thank you for my salvation! Thank you for working in me! Thank you for giving me the desire and power to do what pleases you! Help me continue to humble myself before you out of reverence and fear so that I can be free to follow you and enjoy participating in your plan!

Who is praying for you?

Scripture:

This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.

And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.

One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. Romans 1:1–12 NLT

Sermon Insights:

“Lastly, I am thankful for your commitment to the mission: leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.” Pastor Greg

Paul taught us how to think about ourselves by describing himself as “a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.”

How would you write that sentence about you—what is your relationship to Jesus (Slave? Friend? Not sure?)?

What has God chosen you to be and do?

What has God sent you to do?

You are included among those who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. You are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. How does that impact how you see Jesus, yourself, and others?

Lord, thank you for including me in your plan. Fill me with your grace and peace as I step up to care for others.

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Next, Part 5 “We Are Thankful for Antioch”

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