SeedOffering

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4–9)

 Paul’s exhortation to the church at Philippi was to communicate the need to live in unity and in a posture of joy and truth. He closed his remarks to the church with thanksgiving and prayer for their people, expressing gratitude for their prayers and support while he was on his journey.

No matter your circumstances on earth, they are incomparable to heaven. Seek God for help to place your mind today on what is right, pure, noble, and praiseworthy. Each time you are tempted to start to focus on the things around you set your thoughts on the hope before you. Rejoice today, and rest in the unending peace of our Sovereign God.

Prayer Focus: Divorce Care

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Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. (Genesis 1:11)

At the beginning of creation, God created plants to be seed-bearing. They would be reproducible. No plant or fruit would ever be exactly the same, but each would be unique to its own inherent, God-infused nature. It’s not just nature that has the inherent nature of God, but humankind as well—including you.

God’s desire is to partner with you in bringing small seeds to a full harvest. That process takes time. Soul work is slow work. But from the beginning of time, God has been writing a Harvest Story. J. D. Walt says, “Awakening begins in a lifeless valley filled with dry bones. It comes to full fruition on the lush banks of a rushing river, bringing life wherever it goes. The story of awakening runs an epic course of deep sleep to an awe-inspiring movement of everlasting life. It winds along the way of the cross. It ends in the country of eternal possibility—nothing short of resurrection life.” And it was so. And it is so. Thank God for being the “author and perfecter of our faith.”

Prayer Focus: Men’s Ministry Sowers

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Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. (Romans 12:9–13)

Paul has spoken of the redeemed life and God’s mercies for His people. Moving into this chapter, he expresses how to live out a redeemed life, putting theology into practice. We are to give ourselves to Christ as living sacrifices through truly loving one another, responding in justice, patience, and availability to help others. Here, hospitality refers to having a heart that is open to others, not hosting a social event for entertainment purposes. Hospitality is practiced through the invitation of the heart.

Pray for God to position you to be available for His good purposes, to have the capacity to help those in need, to love sincerely, and to be available to the invitation of a heart.

Prayer Focus: Hospitality

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Honor the Lord with your wealth,
    with the firstfruits of all your crops;
¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
    and your vats will brim over with new wine. (Proverbs 3:9–10)

To honor God means to give Him the rightful place of authority by rendering to Him our very best, even gifts of tribute, all in acts of worship and praise. One way we can honor God is to honor Him with our wealth.

The word picture here points to the process of pressing grapes, a process in which the upper receptacle is filled with grapes and the lower one is catching the juice. The harvest of grapes will be so plentiful that the lower vat will overflow with grape juice. It’s a picture of a great harvest provided by God. Then our vats will literally burst open.

It’s important to note that this is a proverb and not a promise. The reality is that as Christians, we should expect persecution for our faith rather than material prosperity. Ask God to give you wisdom and understanding of the tension between the material and spiritual aspects of your finances. What’s one way God desires to grow you in your trust in Him for provision and protection?

Prayer Focus: Atlanta Dream Center

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