Daily Devotionals

No.1 NEW “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not

perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19

Fixer Upper. Good Bones. Fixer to Fabulous. Home renovation television has captured our attention for some time now. Chip and Joanna Gaines have built a Magnolia empire in Waco, Texas from their success at flipping forgotten houses into dream homes. But first, they help their clients see past the current reality into a true and better possibility.

What new thing would you like to see God do in your life this year? What breakthrough are you in need of that you cannot accomplish by your own power? Can you even imag-ine your life on the other side of today’s stronghold? Can you see beyond your current situation and believe God for the new He has for you?

Too much of the time we settle on the idea that “what is, is what will be.” We forget that God is in the business of bringing new growth from ground that seems destined to remain desolate. We must remember that God can open barren wombs, restore sight to blind eyes, give new strength to lame legs, and bring about beauty from ashes.

The great George Mueller, famed for his reliance on prayer for the provision of his ministry to orphans in England in the 1800’s once wrote, “Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.”

What could God have for you at the end of these 21 Days of Prayer? What God-glorify-ing-impossible-by-your-power future could He be preparing you for in the year ahead? Dare to believe that God has a plan and the power to make it happen in your life.

PRAYER

Lord, I am in need of some “new” in my life. I am eager to see your hand at work in these 21 Days of Prayer. Would you take me on a journey with

You and open my eyes and my heart to behold You in new ways? Meet me in prayer each day as I commit to setting my heart on You in this new year. Give me the faith to dare to believe that You have a plan and the power to make it

happen in my life for Your glory. Amen.

No.2 LIFE“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of

God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”1 John 5:13

The life of the Christian is one that can be full of love, of power, and of sound thinking (Heb. 12:1). One of the ways the enemy derails believers from God’s best plans for life is by causing us to doubt our salvation. Doubt leads us away from abundant life and into fearful, restless, powerless lives.

The writer of 1 John wrote this letter to help lost people in the church realize they were lost, and then to repent and receive eternal life – and to help saved people to know that their eternity with Jesus was secure.

If you have dealt with doubts about your eternal salvation recently, you are not alone. The most important thing you can do today may be to wrestle with this question:

When was a specific time in my life when I believed that Jesus is the Son of God who died for my sins and rose from the dead, asked God for forgiveness of my sin, and to help me to surrender my life to Him as my Lord?

If you cannot point to a moment in your life when you surrendered your life to Jesus, have that conversation with Him right now. Receive His free gift of salvation, and the life and security that comes with that. (Also, text our team today. We would love to talk to you about taking the next steps to grow in your relationship with Jesus. 479-343-8777).

If you have had doubts recently, but you do remember a time when you surrendered your life to Jesus and turned from your sins, take a moment to thank Him for salvation. Then, ask Him to use these 21 Days of Prayer to strengthen your faith, your closeness to Him, and your confidence in your salvation.

PRAYER

Lord, would you help me to see clearly if I have received Your gift of salvation that comes through faith in Jesus? Would You do the same for others who are reading this devotional today and are uncertain of their salvation? Help me to grow closer to You in the days ahead. Help me to grow in the power, love, and

wisdom that comes through life with You as Lord. Amen.

No.2

No.3 CONFIDENCE“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask

anything according to his will he hears us.” 1 John 5:14

Confidence in prayer is a powerful provision for the life of a Christ-follower.

Parrēsia is the word the writer of 1 John used in this verse when he wrote it in the 1st century Greek language. Most English Bibles translate it as confidence, boldness, or openness. Literally, Parrēsia meant “freedom of speech.” It is as if God’s word is telling us: “Believer, Jesus has washed away all of your sins. His Spirit is inside you. His desire is for you to experience more intimacy with Him. Speak to Him often, with confidence and openness. You are free to share whatever is on your mind with your Heavenly Father who loves you.”

While every believer can have confidence in their ability to speak openly with God, the last half of verse 14 gives us an important insight into God’s answering our requests to Him: “…that if we ask anything according to his will he will hear us.”

Knowing God’s will is key to praying with confidence and seeing God answer our prayers. When the will of a believer lines up with the will of the Lord, then he or she asks God to do things that God already desires to do for His glory, and God answers those prayers. Scripture is full of instructions on knowing His will, and praying these prayers. Here are two:

• “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 • “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be

done for you.” John 15:7

This week, slow down and take time to delight in the Lord. Let His words abide in you. Come to Him often, speaking to your God in openness and confidence. Read scripture slowly. Memorize a verse. Listen to what God is saying through His word. Watch as He moves in your vulnerable time with Him and begins to fill you with satisfaction. Be patient, but expectant, knowing that the more His words abide in you and you delight in Him, the more you will see His power in answering your requests.

PRAYER

Lord, would you help me to see clearly if I have received Your gift of salvation that comes through faith in Jesus? Would you do the same for others who are reading this devotional today and are uncertain of their salvation? Help me to grow closer to You in the days ahead. Help me to grow in the power, love, and

wisdom that comes through life with You as Lord. Amen.

No.3

No.4 SPIRIT “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit

within me.” Psalm 51:10

We have all likely heard the phrase, “pride comes before a fall” (Pro. 16:18). It is a truth that often hits home to us all. We either know someone who has fallen due to a battle with pride or, if we are honest, we see pride in our own hearts. The Psalmist in Psalm 51 speaks to this reality and begs God for deliverance.

The verse that precedes verse 10 in Psalm 51 is telling us why the Psalmist voiced this declaration to God. Verse 9 states, “...and blot out all my iniquities.” According to Webster’s dictionary, iniquity refers to “wickedness” or “sin.” One of the more demon-strative sins in all of humanity is that of pride. We have all likely had times where pride has crept up in our hearts and taken captive our thoughts. So, how do we combat the issue of pride in our hearts?

We do this through the renewal of a right spirit within us. This renewed spirit is there to guide us in difficult decisions and to help us overcome the temptation to be prideful. We must remember that everything we have comes from the Lord. Keeping this perspective will surely protect us from the temptations that cause us to fall.

This year, let’s make a commitment to regularly beg that God would create in us a clean heart and that a right spirit would be renewed within us.

PRAYER

Lord, I am in need of You to have a right spirit placed inside of me. I know that pride can tear away at my life, so I am asking for Your guidance and protection as I go about my days. Thank You for all You have done for me and for cleansing me of my sins. May You be given all of the glory, honor,

and praise that You so deserve. Amen.

No.5 HONOR “Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes

before honor.” Proverbs 18:12

If you have ever seen an old building being torn down, you have seen just how fast it can fall. Once a tractor plows into the side of the building or a wrecking ball collides with a structure, it begins to fall. The same can be said when pride and haughtiness enter someone’s heart.

The opposite can be true as well. When humility becomes the primary characteristic of our lives, honor follows. This principle is a reminder of the prayer of Jabez found in 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. In these two verses we see that, “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers…” and then we see the humble prayer that follows. In verse 10, Jabez called upon God and said, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!” Directly following this, we see that “God granted what he asked.”

Honor was bestowed upon Jabez. I’m sure that if you are reading this, you would rather be honored than destroyed. If we want to receive this honor, our hearts must be humble before God. We must understand our right place and pursue a heart of humility in all ways. Let’s make this the rally cry of 2021 in all of our lives.

PRAYER

Lord, I come to You today knowing that I need You to cleanse me of haugh-tiness. I admit that I need You to help me pursue humility in all ways of my life. God, I pray that I would find favor with You and that You would bless

me and enlarge my borders, that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain. Amen.

No.6 CHOSEN“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,

compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…” Colossians 3:12

Doesn’t it feel good to be chosen? Whether it was being chosen to be on a team on the playground as a kid or for a promotion at work, being chosen brings a sense of joy and satisfaction. Think of how much truer this is when we remind ourselves that we are chosen by God.

Being chosen by God also means that there are certain characteristics that should be exemplified in our lives. These are listed in Colossians 3:12 as having a compassionate heart, being kind, humble, meek, and patient. Now there is no doubt that you read one of those and thought to yourself, “I struggle with that one.”

In that case, we should go to God and present our requests to Him (Phil. 4:6). In order for us to pursue holiness through humility, kindness, etc., we must rely on our Heavenly Father to grant that to us. In 2021, let’s all run the race that has been set before us with humility, reminding ourselves that everything we have is a gift from God. Let’s remind ourselves that we have been chosen, forgiven, and that we are beloved by the One and only God.

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for who You are. Thank You for being both the creator and sustainer. Thank You for choosing me and loving me. I pray that humility would define my life in 2021. I pray that I would put on the armor of the

Lord Jesus Christ daily, and make no provision for the f lesh, to gratify its desires. Amen.

No.6

No.7 CHERITH “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so

that at the proper time he may exalt you.” 1 Peter 5:6

The Bible is full of stories of God exalting those with humble hearts. In a world that encourages self-promotion and self-reliance, these stories seem to go against everything we see and experience in our culture today.

While 1 Peter 5:7 instructs us to humble ourselves, we also see in Scripture that God Himself will humble us in order to exalt us.

In 1 Kings 17:2-5, God humbled Elijah by sending him out to the brook of Cherith. While in Cherith, Elijah was alone and completely dependent on ravens to feed him both day and night.

And the word of the Lord came to him: “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” So he went and did accord-ing to the word of the Lord. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan.

Cherith means “to cut off or to cut down.” God brought Elijah to this place that sym-bolizes the exact work that God was doing in Elijah’s heart and life. Elijah was completely “cut-off” as he was isolated and alone. God was “cutting down” Elijah’s pride and self-re-liance during his Cherith experience. As Elijah learned to trust and depend on God, his heart was molded to be prepared to be used by God in a powerful way. In the proper time, God exalted Elijah as he saw the power of God on display on Mt. Carmel. Elijah’s humility was the pathway to God’s presence and power in his own life. Elijah experienced the glory of God in a life-changing experience.

In His love and mercy, God humbles us to exalt us, just as He humbled Elijah to later exalt Him. And just as God allowed Elijah to experience His presence and power, we, too, can experience God’s presence and power as we humble ourselves, trust Him, and wait on Him to exalt us.

PRAYER

Lord, thank You that in Your love and mercy, You humble our hearts to a place of dependence on You. Help me today to walk in humility and full dependence on You and Your spirit within me. Just as You molded Elijah’s heart, would You mold my heart to prepare me to be used by You. Thank You, God, that You love me enough

to cut down my own pride and my self-reliance. Please allow me to experience Your presence and power in a fresh way in my life. Amen.

No.7

No.8 EMPTIED “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in

human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted

him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.” Philippians 2:5-11

Who should we, as believers, look to as our example of humility?

In Philippians 2, Paul encouraged the believers in Philippi to look to Jesus Christ as the perfect example of humility. Paul states that we should have the same attitude as Jesus. What does this attitude look like? It’s one of service, obedience, and sacrifice. Jesus emptied Himself, took on the form of a servant, humbled Himself, and was obedient to His Father. He willingly submitted Himself to the will of His Father, so that God Himself would receive the glory. As a result, Jesus was exalted. The Gospel story is a story of humility. Because of Christ’s humility, we can now have eternal life through Jesus.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45

What does humility in the life of a believer look like if we are to have the same attitude as Jesus?

Humility serves. Humility submits and obeys the will of our loving Father. Humility gives God the Glory.

PRAYER

Lord, thank You that Jesus is our example of humility. Help me, today, to have the same attitude as Christ. I submit to Your will for my life today. I

choose to walk in obedience to You. Help me to walk in the spirit today as I pursue humility. Amen.

No.9 MARKED “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner

worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another

in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1-3

What characterizes your walk as a Christ follower?

In Ephesians 4, Paul urges the believers in Ephesus to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which we have been called.” As Christ followers, we are called to walk differ-ently because of what Jesus has done in our hearts at the moment of salvation. This in-dicates a change in our life that should be evident as we no longer walk as those who live according to our sin nature, but as those who live a life according to the Spirit’s continual work in our hearts. This life we are called to, as noted in Ephesians 4:1-2, is a life marked by humility, gentleness, patience, love and unity.

Humility should be foundational in the life of a believer. A humble heart is also the first step to unity and peace with others. What does it look like for humility to be evident in our everyday lives? From the way we work, to the way we live, a humble heart should guide us as believers to walk in the spirit of gentleness, patience, love and unity.

Is your life marked by humility? Is your heart pursing unity with others as result?

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for the calling upon my life. Help me to walk in humility today. Work in my heart to produce the fruits of gentleness, patience, and

love. Guide me to maintain the spirit of unity with others today. Thank You for Your spirit that is continually at work in my heart and my life. I surrender

to You and Your will for my life. Amen.

No.10 BELOVED“...and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son,

with whom I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:17

Pride is often a construct of fear. We fear that others will discover our weaknesses and our insecurities, so we hide behind the false front of pride and superiority like an Instagram filter.

Pride hides our vulnerabilities and projects a self that we wish were true. We may not always need to be the smartest person in the room, but we certainly do not want to be identified as the dumbest. We may not always need to be seen as the one who can do it all, but we certainly do not want to be discounted in the hour of need. We may not always need to be chosen first, but we certainly do not want to be chosen last. Author Zack Eswine asks a great pride-exposing question, “Which are you more tempted to pretend that you are: an everywhere-for-all, a fix-it-all, or a know-it-all?”

Keeping up the false front of pride and superiority is exhausting. It leads us to be both on the attack and on the defensive simultaneously. We attack with condescension, indiffer-ence, or a frantic-always-on-the-go pace in order to cover our feelings of inferiority.

So, what is the solution? If you dig deep enough, you will find that pride is often rooted in the failure to believe that when God sees your authentic and most vulnerable self, in Christ, he says, “this is my beloved [child] in whom I am well pleased.” He delights in you as His child and calls you to delight in Him and live to please Him.

Therefore, pride can be defeated in your life by having a greater fear of God than man. By fear of man we mean the fear of being found out or the fear of not living up to perceived or imposed expectations. By fear of God we mean a greater reverence for, awe of, and belief in who God is and what He says. Having a greater fear of God than of man means that you believe in who God says you are.

So, rest in the “beloved” and “well pleased” facts about yourself in Christ today. Let these words of affirmation sink deep into your heart and begin living a life of praise to God for who He is and what He has done and said (Ps. 63:3).

PRAYER

Lord, I pray that the truth of how you see me in Christ would sink deep into the

recesses of my heart. I pray that Your delight in me would set me free from the pride

in my life that exists as a cover for any sense of inferiority I may feel. Help me to live

each day rejoicing in the fact that You delight in me as a beloved child. Amen.

No.10

No.11 MORE“The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.”

Psalm 16:5

Are you feeling empty today? Do you carry a sadness or longing in your heart that just won’t go away? What is that one thing you most deeply desire and know for certain that if you had it, it would change everything for you?

Sadly, the world defines for us what it is that will bring us fulfillment and peace. “More” is the word that best describes the world’s solution for an empty heart. Perhaps we would all agree that more things from the world can only bring temporary relief to our broken-ness. Yet, we all willingly take from the world what it has to offer. What do you depend on for comfort, peace and happiness?

The truth is, no one wants to feel pain. However, the temptation we face daily is whether or not we are going to draw from the things of this world or draw from the One who calls himself, Living Water. Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will never thirst again” (Jn. 4:13).

Our good Father has offered a solution that is quite counter-intuitive to the world’s solution. He is our more because he is enough and all that we need. He longs to satisfy us in the empty places of our lives. He is our portion and our cup of blessing and he holds our future.

He invites us to draw from the well-spring of His provision, His forgiveness, His love, His grace, and His kindness. These things are freely given to us in abundance, waiting for us to accept. Our battle is two-fold. First, do we believe these things are available to us without any strings attached and second, will we receive them? They are for the taking. Why do we resist?

He is inviting you to sit with Him, to talk with Him and find the more He has for you. Let Him fill the empty. Trust him with your failures and disappointments, your broken dreams and relationships. Give it all to Him and see what He can do. Let Him be your portion and your cup of blessing. Choose to believe He is more than enough.

PRAYER

Lord, help me to desire you above all else. When I am tempted to trust in the things this world has to offer, help me to put my trust and hope in You. I believe you see my pain and brokenness and that You desire to heal and restore. You have so much more for me and today I choose Your love, Your forgiveness and Your grace. I find my deep-

est satisfaction in You and I will rest in Your loving care over my life. Amen.

No.11

No.12 HOPE“...and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given

to us.” Romans 5:5

Who doesn’t enjoy a good love story? Especially on the big screen. Yes, they are mostly predictable. Ok, well, they are totally predictable, but still, it does a heart good to see everything work out in the end. Before riding off into the sunset, there’s always that tense moment in the movie when the perfect storm occurs and for a brief moment the viewer loses hope that this brewing romance will ever work out.

Our Creator designed our human hearts to want things to work out. However, that can seem far from reality as we journey through this broken world. And in truth, it is. Jesus says that we will have trouble in this world. We will face seasons of suffering. There will be many days when it just doesn’t work out as we thought it would.

As believers, we are assured that our ending in Christ will work out. We have the promise of heaven and eternal life with him. But as we wait in the now and the not yet, it is easy to take our eyes off The Promise and to focus on all the failed promises of the world. The temptation is for us to lose hope.

Let me encourage you today. Do not lose hope. Jesus died so that we could hope. Hold-ing hope in our hearts is what keeps our hearts soft and tender to the Father. When we lose hope our hearts become hard and calloused and our relationship is hindered with the Lord.

God’s Word says “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life” (Pro. 13:12). This is a powerful promise that says to us, keep on hoping. We are given permission from our Father to hope and He promises hope does not disappoint.

What are you hoping for this year? Maybe you have some circumstances in your life that leave you wondering if they are ever going to work out. Bring it to the Father. Trust Him with the deepest longings of your heart. He wants all of it and He assures us He will work it all together for our good and His glory.

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for sending Jesus who is our one and only true hope. He has giv-en us life and breath. All things are created by Him and for Him and in Him all things hold together. I lay before you my disappointments and the circumstances in which I have lost all hope. Help me put my hope in You and You alone. Amen.

No.13 REST “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give

you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Something we can all agree on…Sunday afternoons were made for napping. There’s nothing better than a long afternoon nap after a good Sunday dinner with friends and family. It must bring comfort to the soul to know our Heavenly Father not only ordained rest as holy and pleasing unto Him, He also rested. “And on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” (Gen. 2:2)

However, rest can oftentimes be misunderstood. Many may look at rest as something that is reserved only for the weak and faint of heart. You might be one who struggles with rest. Maybe you are one who is always on the go and it is completely necessary that you stay busy doing something at all times. To sit and rest and simply take a deep breath is difficult for you. Are you a resister of rest?

Busyness can be a way for us to mask the anxiety and fear we carry. Staying busy can give us a sense of control and power over the circumstances of our lives. Sadly, staying in a continued state of busyness can only lead to exhaustion and burn out. This is not God’s plan nor His best for our lives.

Jesus invites us to Himself. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Perhaps Jesus isn’t necessarily commanding us to take a nap, but He is asking us to evaluate the posture of our hearts. Do our hearts feel heavy and burdened? Are we holding onto anxiety and fear? Both are feelings that result from not trusting that the future outcome we desire will ever come to fruition.

Why would we not accept this invitation to come and sit with King Jesus? Lay it all at His feet and receive the rest He offers. Circumstances, relationships, jobs, marriages, may not immediately change. But we are promised we can live in a posture of rest in the mid-dle of our busy, crazy lives. Let’s strive in this new year to slow down and let our hearts rest as we keep our gaze on Jesus.

PRAYER

Lord, You came to give me rest and peace. I oftentimes find myself so busy that I do not slow down to receive what You have for me. Help me to slow

down. Help me to see the people and circumstances of my life as gifts from You. May those around me see me to be one who is at rest… fully trusting,

fully depending, fully leaning on You. Amen.

No.14 NOT ALONE “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.”

1 Corinthians 10:13

2020 has made us feel more isolated and alone than ever before. We struggled to connect to people through a screen and we missed so much of what we were used to and that was connecting us to one another and walking through life together. Though this full-on isolation was new, this isolation is often where we run in times of temptation.

When talking about temptation, it is healthy to talk about it in a feel, think, do model. When temptation hits, you FEEL lonely, judged, isolated and scared. This makes you THINK that you are the only person dealing with this struggle you have in your life and in turn you DO life alone, struggling mightily and trying to carry a burden that is far too heavy and overwhelming.

A lot of times you have a good reason for this. You have had a bad experience the last time you tried to open up and share truthfully where you were at with your struggles; you have been judged by some of the people closest to you; or worst of all, you have never had a person safe enough in your life to share your real and true self with. What if you flipped the script and changed your course of action when you find yourself in this place? What if you believed the truth stated in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that you aren’t alone in your temptation? What if your process looked like this?

When you get hit with a wave of temptation, you are grounded in your community enough to FEEL seen, known, loved, fully understood and able to be fully yourself. From that place it is so much easier to THINK and know that God’s view of you hasn’t changed and you know he has given you wonderful people to help shoulder the load which makes you DO what God has fully intended you to do and share your heart and story both with Him and with the people who love you most here on earth.

Would this thought process change how you react and respond to temptation? Would unloading the burden of your shame, guilt and fear allow you to help other people walk towards healing? What would God be able to do in your life personally?

PRAYER

Lord, today I come to You, thankful. Thank You for giving me others to live with in this life. Thank You for never leaving me. Thank You for not being

scared off by my doubts, my fears or my struggles. I love You and am forever grateful for what Jesus did on the cross. Help me confess things to You and

others because confession is the first step towards healing. Amen.

No.14

No.15 VICTORY“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord

Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57

Worship is a powerful weapon. It’s like a counter-attack on whatever the enemy is trying to bring against you. When you are facing temptation, struggling with a sin, feelingisolated, doubting where God has you, choose to worship your way through it.

If you are feeling overwhelmed or uncertain, you can choose worship. In 1 Corinthians it says “thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We, as believers, can stand on the authority of God’s Word, that whatever we are up against, Jesus has already claimed a victory in our life if we just turn to Him. He has never lost a battle and never will lose a battle.

Whether you have struggled with the same temptation for a while or a new one has popped up, know that through the power of Jesus you can claim a victory in your life. Take a moment and listen to “See the Victory” by Elevation Worship and claim this song today.

PRAYER

Lord, today I come to You to say thank You for claiming a victory in my life. Thank You for loving me and watching over me. Today God, I give you the

things that I cannot overcome on my own. Today, I turn my life over to You knowing that You are God and You are good. The sin and struggles in my life,

I give them to You. Amen.

No.15

No.16 FAITHFULNESS“...if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot

deny himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

The faithfulness of God has been seen throughout the course of history. From the beginning of Scripture to the end, you read countless stories of how God is true to who He says He is. God’s Word promises us in Numbers 23:19 that God is perfectly faithful, steadfast, and true. Your God is wholly faithful to you. No matter what you do, He will be there for you. His faithfulness is not dependent upon what you do, but on who He is.

There are many times when we find ourselves struggling with the sin of idolatry. Holding onto things that we know we shouldn’t. In the midst of those seasons, we can feel unloved, worthless, forgettable, and insignificant. But God still sees us, knows us, and calls us back to Him. When you and I are tempted in life, God is always faithful to give us a way out.

For many of us, we have to have faith in the way out that God has provided. We get so wrapped up in sin that entangles our lives that it is hard to see or respond to the way the Lord is leading us, but know that God’s way is the best way. God’s way is the only way. Even when you feel like there is no other way, know that God is always faithful to give you a way of escape.

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness to me even when I am unfaithful to You. In moments when I do not take Your way out, Lord, I am sorry. In times when I have chosen my way instead of Yours, I am sorry. Lord, help me to be

faithful to You in all things. Amen.

No.17 DRIFT “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

Matthew 26:41

Is it too early to pencil in summer vacation plans? Given all that we have been through in the past year and what many of us were perhaps unable to do vacation-wise, surely it is okay to have an eye toward the summer of 2021. For many people, the beach is the summer destination. East, West, or Gulf, we like the sand, the sun, and the fun.

If you are a longtime beach-goer, you are likely familiar with the “drift.” If you are not paying close attention while you are enjoying some fun in the water, you will inevitably find that you have drifted down shore from where you set up your chair, your umbrella, and the other 857 items that somehow find their way into your arms as a necessity for a successful day in the sun. (If you are not the one who has drifted down shore, it may be the kiddos you inadvertently took your eyes off of while reading and relaxing in the shade.)

Drifting is also a concern for us spiritually. If we are not careful, we will drift away from a daily, steadfast relationship with our Lord and find ourselves in places we never intended to be. As you read through the pages of Scripture, you will discover many admonitions to keep watch and remain steadfast. Why these constant reminders? God knows our temptation to take our eyes off the ball. After all, holiness must be pursued daily. It is not found by accident.

Consider these words from D.A. Carson, “People do not drift toward Holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legal-ism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated.”

Perhaps God is using this season of prayer to show you where you have drifted in your walk with Him in recent months. This past year has given us plenty of opportunities to become distracted either by chaos or melancholy. Have you drifted from your daily, grace-driven pursuit of God and to the life of holiness that He calls you to?

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for the reminder to watch and pray. I want to walk so closely with You each day that I see temptation before it arrives and I am able to turn the other

way. Forgive me for where I may have drifted from You. I want to live a life that pleases You as an act of thankfulness for Your grace to me in Christ. Amen.

No.18 THORNS“So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall

become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.”Judges 2:3

Idolatry is not a friendly, neutral resident within the ecosystem of our hearts. Idolatry is an ever-present threat to our walk with God and if we allow idolatry to set up camp in our lives, the results can be devastating. We have to be intentional in the fight against our heart’s desire to prioritize other things or people over God in our lives.

After God had rescued His people from bondage in Egypt, He gave them direction to take the Promised Land and to rout all forms of idolatry from the land. There was some success with this mission, but unfortunately Israel did not tear down all of the places of idol worship in the land.

In Judges 2:1-5, the Lord reminds His people of their deliverance by His power and His covenantal love toward them and asks why they have not obeyed His previous instruction of removing the visible outposts of idolatry in the land.

Since God’s people did not drive out idolatry in the land, they were subjected to trouble and heartache instead of peace and prosperity as God had envisioned for them.

PRAYER

Lord, I pray that You would give me diligence as I fight the idolatry present within me. May I learn from the example of the Israelites today by not allow-

ing any room in my life for things which distract me from prioritizing You. Show me the areas of my life where idolatry still remains and, by leadership

of the Holy Spirit, give me the eyes to see what is distracting me and the courage to do whatever it takes to remove idolatry from my heart. Amen.

No.18

No.19 WORSHIP“The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the

LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean,

enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine

gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is

great reward.” Psalm 19:7-11

This new year brings a lot of opportunity for each of us. We can start the year off by turning away from idolatry, dedicating ourselves to the Lord, and setting ourselves up for spiritual freedom. In order to avoid idolatry, we must set our mind on things that are good, things of the Lord. The best way to avoid focusing on idols, is to focus on the Lord. Take a few moments right now and write 3-5 attributes of God that you can focus on today. Instead of focusing on what you should not do, focus on the goodness of God and all that He has to offer.

Paul David Tripp writes, “The question is not whether you will worship but rather what you will worship – your glorious Creator or something He created.” As we walk into this new year, may we set our focus on the Creator, and not what He has created. When we set our eyes on God the Creator, we will begin to understand His instruction and how He renews us just as the Psalmist says. One of the best ways to fight temptation and idolatry is to worship.

Today, focus on worshipping the Lord and praising His name, rather than focusing on what He has created. He is more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey.

PRAYER

Lord, reveal my idols to me today so that I might turn from them and turn back to You. I pray that as I walk into this new year, my focus and my

worship would be for You and not focused on anything else. Teach me Your Word and show me Your goodness. Help my life to be an example for others

to point to You. Amen.

No.19

No.20 TURN“The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human

hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in

their mouths. Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them.” Psalm 135:15-18

Idols in the Old Testament were typically figures or representations of other gods made out of things like bronze, silver, or gold. These were made by people in order to have something physical to look at and worship. Psalm 135 makes it very clear that idols were made by men and have no spiritual value, as they take away our focus from God. These idols are objects, there is no life or hope in idols. All they do is take away our focus from our relationship with God.

Charles Spurgeon says, “If you love anything better than God, you are idolaters; if there is anything you would not give up for God it is your idol; if there is anything that you seek with greater fervor than you seek the glory of God, that is your idol.” Even though we might not have physical idols sitting in our homes that we worship, we might have other objects in our home or office that we point our attention to. Things like TV, Netflix, social media, a job, or our kids. Whatever is taking our attention from the glory of God, that is our idol. While these things are not evil in and of themselves, when we put too much focus on them, it takes away our focus from God.

God is using this time of prayer and fasting to call us back from our modern idols, so that we can put our focus on Him. Maybe the Lord is convicting you even now about some-thing that has been taking too much of your time. Will you confess that to the Lord and return to seeking the glory of God?

PRAYER

Lord, would You reveal any idols I have in my life today. Give me clarity so that I may seek Your glory and turn away from worthless idols that distract

my attention. Give me a passion to seek Your glory over any idolatrous ambition in my life. Let my life be dedicated to Your glory and not the

idols of this world. Amen.

No.21 WAIT “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage;

wait for the Lord!” Psalm 27:14

Today we conclude 21 Days of Prayer at Cross Church. We trust that the Lord has spoken to you over the past few weeks of this journey. Perhaps you have already experienced a breakthrough in your life or maybe you are on the verge of one and do not even know it.

In Psalm 27:14, David is experiencing a season of uncertainty. So, he waits on God. In the meantime, David talks to himself. Rather than allowing his emotions to lead him down an unhealthy path, he speaks truth to his heart. Speaking truth to your heart is an important spiritual discipline. If you read carefully, you can hear the confidence in David’s voice. He recognizes that waiting is hard and, in the waiting, he could be tempted to waiver. So, he tells his heart to be strong and to take courage – he knows that waiting on the Lord is never in vain in spite of the way he may be tempted to feel. We must remember that God’s Word is still true even when our feelings lag. So, if you are waiting on God, wait with confidence. Trust that God is at work in your life.

Take a moment and look back over the past 20 days of devotionals and reflect on what you have read and prayed through. What has God shown you about Himself? What attributes of God have stood out to you the most? What has God shown you about your own life, personally?

As you look toward the year ahead, we pray these 21 Days of Prayer will serve as the beginning of a journey with God that will take you deeper into a growing relationship with Him. Be strong. Take courage. Do not lose heart.

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for the privilege of drawing near to You through 21 Days of Prayer. Thank You for Your invitation to experience a deeper and more intimate relationship with You each day. Thank You for all that You have

shown me in these past 21 days. I pray the year ahead will serve as a marker in my spiritual life like no other. Help me to go deeper and experience more intimacy with You than I ever have before, as I seek You daily in prayer this

year. Strengthen my heart as I wait for You. You are faithful. Amen.