build my church 40-day devotional
Week 6
Monday, October 14
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“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”
2 Corinthians 7:1
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I’ve recently discovered the joy of decluttering. It’s not so much about the empty spaces or the feeling of living more minimally, but rather the ease of accessing the good, beautiful, and useful items in my home. I spent a lot of years shuffling boxes around instead of what I should have been doing all along: grabbing a trash bag without looking back.
When it comes to our hearts, I think we all have some serious, Marie Kondo-level decluttering to do. As believers, we’re called to take inventory of our lives and purge the clutter that’s acting as a barrier to all God wants to do in and through us. It turns out that it’s a lot harder to make the most of the real gifts you’ve been given until you’ve pulled each and every box of expired saltines from the pantry.
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Have you ever found yourself feeling like no matter how consistent you are with prayer, scripture, quiet time, you’re still falling flat? Personally, I’ve realized that when my heart is hardened by stale crackers, or rather– a critical attitude and propensity for judgment– I don’t get a lot out of my time with God. It’s not just a matter of trying to add more “good” but stripping away the bad that keeps getting in the way of what God has already planted within me.
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To put it simply, sin separates us from God and makes it hard to be in close relationship with Him. Renewal comes when we declutter (purify) the harmful habits that contaminate our hearts and lives, not out of a desire to simply be a better Christian, but because it’s that very sin that is holding us back from experiencing the fullness of God. Nothing will “spark joy” as much as being in God’s presence with a purified and surrendered heart.
Alyssa Stacks
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Tuesday, October 15
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NIV - ‘Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.’
KJV - ‘For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.’
NLT - ‘That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.’
The Message - ‘So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace… The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.’
These different translations of Paul’s words to the Corinthians show a larger theme, that this world is not our end.
NIV - ‘We do not lose heart.’
KJV - ‘We faint not.’
NLT - ‘We never give up.’
The Message - ‘We’re not giving up.’
Followed by proof that we are not to put our hope in what we see.
NIV - ‘Though outwardly we are wasting away.’
KJV - ‘But though our outward man perish.’
NLT - ‘Though our bodies are dying.’
The Message - ‘Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us.’
2 Corinthians 4:16
Our physical world reminds us constantly of deterioration and loss and it is always going to end the same way. Then comes the hope that only Christ can bring.
NIV - ‘Inwardly we are being renewed day by day.’
KJV - ‘Yet the inward man is renewed day by day.’
The Message - ‘But the things we can’t see now will last forever.’
Our souls, what God will have commune with him forever, what he can constantly sustain and renew, that is what truly matters on this earth. How comforting that what is temporal is not what we put our hope in. Yet, we have hope in what is still to come.
Rachel Daniels
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Wednesday, October 16
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“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” - NIV
“I’ll refresh tired bodies; I’ll restore tired souls.” - The Message
Jeremiah 31:25
Have you ever felt so exhausted that you thought you just couldn’t take a step further? I know I have. One fall I took an early morning hike with a friend over part of the Grand Sable Dunes. Now I’m not much of a hiker, but I thought if I could just ‘muster up enough energy’, I could do this hike. My friend informed me we would have to walk up and down a few dunes, but once we reached our destination, the view from the top would be worth it. As we started on our journey, I could tell this was not going to be easy. I noticed quickly that my breathing became more rapid. I started sweating. Every step I took in the loose dune sand made my muscles burn, and at times I felt like progression was slow going. I was tired, thirsty and warm. I began to question why I would go on such a journey.
When I finally reached the top of the Grand Sable Dunes, I sat down and took in this amazing view of the Lake Superior shoreline. The gentle breeze was the only sound. From the top of the dune I took in the splendor of God’s beautiful creation. My body and spirit began to feel refreshed and renewed. In that moment, God was giving me all that I needed. My nurturing loving Father, was replenishing and satisfying my soul. I didn’t feel exhausted, or the need to ‘muster’ up anything. Just being in God’s presence was fuel for my soul. Take time today to sit in the presence of God and let him refresh you.
Misty Jones
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Thursday, October 17
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“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
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I died with Christ and only now can I truly live! The good in me is Christ and His grace living through me as I magnify His Name.
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When at age 15 I first felt the call of Jesus, I wasn’t sure how I fit into that. My dad had told me that the people in the rural church where I wanted to walk to were a bunch of holy rollers. I asked him if they really rolled down the aisle and he assured me that they did. I still felt the urge to go so the first Sunday I sat in the first chair on the right, nearest the door. I figured if they started rolling I could escape.
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Well – they didn’t roll down the aisle, and what they said made a lot of sense to me. I kept going off and on ‘til one Sunday when that pastor asked if anyone wanted to come to the altar I raised my hand just barely above the back of the pew in front of me. I wanted to know more about this amazing Jesus, who I learned was a real man, not just a swear word.
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That was the beginning of a beautiful relationship with Christ. I don’t know that I “died to him” at that point, but I was definitely introduced to Him and began a life of surrender to His call.
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Dying to Him has come to me over the years of surrender of everyone and everything in my life to Him. Now I truly live in Him as I gain His grace through daily time with Him and offer grace to those whom I love, but don’t yet love Him. His grace living in me swings the door wide open to all in my realm of influence.
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To magnify His Name is to be so close that we hear His whisper in times of opportunity. Our prayer each morning could be “Lord waken me to every opportunity to share your grace with those who need it.”
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Dottie Miller
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Friday, October 18
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“I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:49
These are the last words that Jesus says in Luke before He goes up to heaven. In the verses prior, Jesus is telling His disciples that they are witnesses of all that has happened, and that what has taken place must be preached. However, Jesus tells them they do not have to do it on their own, but that they will be “clothed with power from on high.” This is the Holy Spirit. Jesus, in John 16:7, actually tells His disciples that it is better for Him, the literal Son of God, to leave, so that they might receive the Holy Spirit. This is how we are equipped to be witnesses.
This reminded me of a scripture that Pastor John shared in our staff meeting the other day. It was from Acts 4. Peter and John had been apprehended and told not to preach anymore. After that, they went and prayed with the other believers. They prayed that they would be able to speak the word of God with boldness. After they prayed, the Holy Spirit came and shook the place where they were meeting, and the believers there were filled with boldness and preached the word of God. They were clothed with power from on high.
This is exactly what Jesus tells his disciples will happen at the end of Luke. We, as the church, are told to be witnesses for Christ, BUT we don't have to do it on our own. God has promised that He will equip us, and He keeps His promises. He will strengthen you through the Holy Spirit and make you bold.
Bethany Weidman
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