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. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call- one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says,
“When He ascended on high He led a host of captives,
and He gave gifts to men.”(In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that He had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:1-16 ESV
Before you begin to pray, take a deep breath and quiet your thoughts. Focus on being in the presence of God. Thank God for hearing your prayers. Then reread the scripture we will study next Sunday, Ephesians 4:1-16. Read it slowly, recognizing that God is speaking to you through His Word. If God puts something specific on your heart, pray about that today.
Thank. Verse 8 of this week’s scripture says, “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” One of the things we can learn from that verse is that God’s grace is given out personally. He gives grace to “each one of us.” Thank God today that He knows you personally.
Adore. Today, let’s adore God for his grace. We receive grace in the forgiveness of our sins through Christ’s work on the cross. We receive grace in everyday ways: the warmth of a campfire; the beauty of fall leaves; the hug of a close friend. God gives us grace through our gifts too, each of us bestowed with different gifts that are integral to the body of Christ. Praise God today for His grace, for the many gifts He lavishes upon us.
Let us praise God for His glorious grace,
for the free gift He gave us in His dear Son!
Ephesians 1:6-8 GNT
Confess. We did not earn nor do we deserve God’s grace. That realization leads us naturally to a place of confession and repentance. Turn toward our loving Father as you confess your sins.
Others.
| CU Church: Pray that the CU Church family and our leaders actively seek the Spirit’s leading. Pray that we are a church that follows the Spirit’s leading. |
| Community: Pray for Tuscola First Christian Church, that they reach more and more people with the Gospel and encourage them to love and live like Jesus. fcctuscola.com |
| Global Church: Pray for the work of Life In Abundance and for Jordan and Matt McGuire. LIA empowers local churches in Africa and the Caribbean to serve the poor and vulnerable, creating sustainable transformation in their communities. Matt and Jordan will be in Kenya in February serving with LIA. Pray that Matt and Jordan will have God’s protection as they travel and that their work for LIA will be fruitful. lifeinabundance.org |
Self. God is listening. He loves you. Pray for any specific needs that you or your family have.