Monday HOW DO I BEGIN FULLY LIVING OUT GOD’S PROMISES
The Christian life is rooted in the wonderful grace of God, but that is just the first step. God has much more for you than making you alive again through
Christ. You were created to live a full life of purpose, doing the good work
God has prepared for you to do. The Bible, God’s word, is filled with promises of how God desires to supernaturally resource you through the power of his Spirit.
•List some of the powerful promises of God offered to you in this passage.
•What kind of purposeful work is God placing in your heart to accomplish?
Tuesday ARE GOD’S PROMISES REALLY FOR ME?
2 CORINTHIANS 1:18-22 AND 2 PETER 1:3-4
Sometimes you may feel discouraged and wonder if God actually desires to help you grow and succeed in faithfulness. Good news: God’s love for you is far greater than you can understand or even imagine! And in that love you can have confident assurance that God is not only capable but eager to help you live your life in all the fullness God intended. No matter what your past struggles or downfalls, God’s word offers hope and promises for renewal and strength.
•According to 2 Corinthians 1, how do you know that you have and can live in the promises of God? What has God provided you to live out this godly life?(2 Peter 1:3)
•In what areas of your life do you trust God, and in what areas do you struggle trusting God?
Wednesday HOW CAN I TRIUMPH OVER COMPROMISE AND TEMPTATION?
1 CORINTHIANS 10:1-13 AND HEBREWS 2:14-18
In order to continue living out the godly life of purpose and promise, you must always be on guard against temptation and sin. Since compromise and sin easily entangle followers of Jesus and can keep you from walking the path God has marked out for you, you must remain diligent in fighting against them. In today’s reading, believers are not only warned about falling into temptation but also how to stand up against the evil that wars against you.
•From these passages, list the different ways God helps believers overcome temptation and evil.
•What are some of your weaknesses in terms of temptation and compromise? What will you do to protect yourself in this/these areas?
Thursday WHAT IS GOD’S PROMISE WHEN I’M DISTRESSED OR BROKENHEARTED?
Life is definitely difficult at times. It becomes very easy at those moments to forget all about the promises of God and stop living out the faithful life you are called to live, empowered by God’s promises. Where is God when things go wrong and this life turns hard? In the readings today you will not only get a better picture of God’s amazing concern for you but also how you are to respond in the tough moments of life.
•In Psalm 30, what did David (the author) do when he found himself in the depths of life? What was God’s faithful response to David?
•Do you spend more or less time seeking God when challenges come? What promise of God from these passages do you need to stand on in the midst of trouble?
Friday HOW DO I KNOW WHEN I AM GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?
JOHN 8:12, JOHN 12:34-36 AND 1 THESSALONIANS 5:4-11
Living the life of godly purpose and promise also implies that you continually walk in the will and direction that God desires. Even though today you don’t know God’s will for your entire life, God promises that you can know and should be able to walk in that right direction on a daily basis. Following God’s guidance and promises means purposely living in the light, both in public and in the Christian community. It is when you find yourself seeking isolation, secrecy and darkness that you tend to be off track and in trouble with sin and compromise.
•In John 8:12, what does Jesus promise to those who follow him? What are all the things that walking in the light implies for our daily lives? What is implied by “darkness”?
•What are some of the ways you can purposely stay in the light? How can the community of believers help you?
Saturday IS GOD’S PROTECTION TRUSTWORTHY IN THE FACE OF TRIALS AND PERSECUTION?
1 PETER 5:6-11 AND PSALM 91:1-16
Walking the life of God’s promises and purpose does not mean that you will never face trials. In fact, Jesus’ disciple Peter wrote that everyone who wants to lead a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Remember always that you have a God who not only promises protection, but a God who truly cares for all of your anxieties.
God’s goal is not to save you from suffering but to make you strong so that through all things you may continue to love and serve others in need.
•What are God’s promises to you in 1 Peter 5:6-11? What does God promise in Psalm 91:14-16 when it comes to being in trouble?
•What cares do you need to give God today?