Sanctuary

Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” ²⁰ He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:19–20)

This is Christ in His power and grace, having just healed a demon-possessed boy while His disciples were watching. In dismay, the disciples question their abilities to perform such acts with such power.

Too often we live with faith in the wrong power, having instead either a shallow power limited by our own understanding or a selfish desire for power led by our need to be emotionally reinforced.

Today, ask God for belief in His divine promise. Ask Him for a faith that’s deeper than your ability to understand. Have the courage to ask God to test you and know you and help you see each moment of your day as an opportunity to live out, in faith, His power with you and in you.  Praise God for His power and promise that, although they may not yet be tangible, they are believable according to His grace.

“It is not my ability, but my response to God’s ability that counts.” —Corrie Ten Boom

Prayer Focus: Fishing for Hope

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Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord until he comes and reigns righteousness upon you. (Hosea 10:12)

God’s prophet Hosea calls the people of God to repent, to return, and to reestablish a life-giving relationship with God. Hosea points to the kindness of God instead of to His judgment. Hosea calls the people of God to cultivate righteousness or truthfulness in view of God’s kindness.

“Breaking up fallow ground” is what a farmer does when he plows land that either has never been plowed or has remained untouched for a long time. God is using this word picture for the confession of sins, both those exposed and those that have remained untouched for a long time—maybe forever. Now is the time to seek God, to confess, to repent, and to trust in His kindness to forgive your sins and produce a harvest of righteousness.

Spend time in confession before the Lord prior to taking action. Seek His Person before you seek His plan. Receive the fruit of His unfailing love before sowing seeds today.

Prayer Focus: Worship Team

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Moses said to the whole Israelite community, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ⁵ From what you have, take an offering for the Lord. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the Lord an offering of gold, silver, and bronze…”

²¹ …and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. ²² All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings, and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the Lord. ²³ Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or the other durable leather brought them. ²⁴ Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the Lord, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. ²⁵ Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. ²⁶ And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. ²⁷ The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. ²⁸ They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. ²⁹ All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the Lord freewill offerings for all the work the Lord through Moses had commanded them to do. (Exodus 35:4–5, 21–29)

Moses gives further instructions regarding offerings. God did not require special offerings but instead appealed to those with generous hearts. The people were invited to participate in the giving of the fixtures and other needs for the tabernacle. This wasn’t guilt-driven giving; it was voluntary giving. God does not desire for us to be guilted into offering ourselves to Him; He desires for us to come in a posture of willingness to be an offering for Him.

Ask God today to give you a heart of worship for Him alone, placing His will as the sole desire of your heart. Pray for the courage to receive His truths and a boldness to live them out, surrendering your life as a poured-out offering to God for the sake of Him being made known.

Prayer Focus: Stewardship Team

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A wicked person earns deceptive wages,
    but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. (Proverbs 11:18)

The full quality of life—not just the possession of life—is in full view in this proverb. Ross writes, “Since life and death result from moral choices, righteousness must be pursued.”

Sowing for righteousness is deeper than sowing for any kind of financial or material blessing. Sowing for righteousness produces a harvest of righteousness. But it must be chosen; it won’t just happen. There is an intentionality inherent in the proverb. James gives us a specific example: “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:18)

How might God be leading you to intentionally sow as a peacemaker or a truth-teller or a covenant keeper today? Ask God to give you eyes to see and ears to hear and courage to take an intentional step toward righteousness today.

Prayer Focus: Women’s Ministry Sowers

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