Foundations July 1, 2011

New Testament Reading Plan: Colossians 3-4
SCRIPTURE READING
Romans 1:5 ...we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for
the sake of his name among all the nations

In May, Kris preached a series called “Contending for the Truth about Grace. This month, we
are going to look at many of the truths that he taught in that series and apply them to our daily
lives. It is critical that we understand the truth about grace. What you believe about grace is
going to, in large part, determine your ability to fear God, receive love from God, resist sin and
be zealous for God. The problem is that a number of inaccurate teachings, assumptions and
beliefs about grace have grown up in the North American church and now cover it like a thick
blanket. This blanket is smothering out the life, the holiness and the zeal of the North American
church – it sits with a heavy weight of apathy on our shoulders. And most of us don’t even realize
it’s there, because it resides within our subconscious assumptions about salvation, forgiveness
and judgment. We all have assumptions about grace therefore it is necessary to look at both
what grace is and what grace is not. The Bible teaches that false teachings about grace,
misrepresentations of grace and misunderstandings about grace are actually going to lead many
Christians astray. Your beliefs about grace will determine how you live your life and how you live
your life is going to determine your eternity.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Ask God to show you a word, thought or picture about your beliefs about grace. Are you
open to letting Him speak to you though these devotionals this month?
2. Have you ever thought about the link between your beliefs about grace and your ability to
fear God, receive love from Him, resist sin and be zealous for God? Ask God to show you
how these relate to each other.
3. Pray that God will reveal to you the truth about grace as you intentionally

Foundations June 30, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Colossians 1-2
SCRIPTURE READING
1 Kings 19:11-13a (NIV); The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the
presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind
tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in
the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came
a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and
stood at the mouth of the cave.

Elijah knew the voice of God. How many of us would have assumed the presence of the
Lord to come through the earthquake or the fire? Elijah was attuned. We need to be patient
and wait for the Lord. Scripture holds much promise for those who do. We will receive an
inheritance, we will find salvation, and we will not be put to shame. If we move ahead of
the Spirit, shame will be inevitable. Making unfounded prophesies, speaking out against
authority, making a bad decision because you didn’t confirm what you thought you heard
from the Lord – all bring shame. But when our hope is in God, and when we are patient to
know His will and to act accordingly we will be lifted up.
The Lord is full of promises, and He is not slow in keeping them. He is faithful and
trustworthy. Let us be faithful in the waiting.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. How has God encouraged, uplifted and sustained you in the last month? Thank Him for
what He has done for you.
2. When has impatience caused you shame? When has waiting for the Lord proved to be the
right thing to do?
3. Spend some time just waiting for the presence of the Lord today. Ask the Holy Spirit to fill
you and to meet you in your devotional time. Don’t allow yourself to conjure up expectations.
Just allow the Lord to meet you in His own way.

Foundations June 29, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Philippians 3-4
SCRIPTURE READING
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV); Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age.

We are all purposed to take this commission to heart. To the disciples, going out to all the
nations was a literal reality, as the gospel needed to spread beyond the few towns Jesus
had visited. But today the gospel is in every country, and in many languages. For most of
us, “going into the nations” means stepping out into our backyards and having intentional
interactions with people. We’re called to make disciples in our homes, cell groups,
workplaces, sports teams, etc. We don’t have to listen in prayer: “God do I need to minister
to the people I know.” The strategic question to ask is: “God HOW do I effectively reach the
people I know?” Scripture provides many basic commands, and through listening to the Spirit
and obeying His direction we will figure out the how-to.
Discipling people takes effort. It takes walking alongside them, praying for them, listening in
prayer with them, and teaching them the truths of scripture. Not everyone is given the gift
of leadership, but we are all leaders to some degree, and we all have the responsibility to
minister to those around us.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Meditate on Jesus’ words to His disciples. How does God want you to take this
commission to heart? Confess any ways you have been lazy in your conversations with
others.
2. Spend some time listening in prayer about how you can effectively reach out to the people
around you.
3. Who has discipled you in your spiritual walk? Thank God for them, and ask Him how you
need to continue the process and help others.

Foundations June 28, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Philippians 1-2
SCRIPTURE READING
Proverbs 23:24-25 (NIV); The father of a righteous man has great joy; he who has a wise
son delights in him. May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth
rejoice!

Even in His final hours, as He hung on the cross, Jesus’ thoughts went towards His mother.
He looked at her and said, “Woman, this is your son” and to His dear friend John He said,
“Here is your mother.” Even the Son of God held love and affection for those dearest to Him.
As the proverb says, we have the potential to bring great joy and gladness to our
families through the right choices that we make. God made us for community and loving
relationships. He created people to respond to each other with senses and likes and dislikes.
Love may be spoken through gentle touch, gifts and tokens of appreciation, thoughtful acts
of service, and words of affirmation and encouragement. Our close-knit friends and family
must be knitted together with love and kindness.
God enables us to love our enemies, so He can surely enable us to show love and
appreciation to our close friends and family! It is easy to overlook those closest to us. We
often assume that there is some unspoken understanding between us that we love each
other. But it is never a wise thing to go on assumptions! People actually need to HEAR
and EXPERIENCE our love! But God wants to give us strategy for this, too! He is a well of
creativity, and can pour that creativity out onto us.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Who are your closest friends? Ask the Lord to show you why He brought you together with
these people? What was the purpose, and what is the purpose of your friendship?
2. Ask God to give you the specific names of a few close friends who you need to show love
to this week. In prayer, consider how they best like to receive love, and ask God to give you
applicable ways to bless them.
3. How can you honour your family today? How can you bring joy to parents or grandparents,
spouses or children? Are there any relationships that need to be reconciled? Choose to do
that, and bless those people this week.

Foundations June 27, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Ephesians 4-6
SCRIPTURE READING
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV); And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and
requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

When we accept Christ, our Spirit is awakened and made alive; we are born again! Our
spirits are connected to the Spirit of God and as we listen and obey, we lose the shackles
of our sinful nature. We are encouraged to keep our spirit linked up with His; to pray in the
Spirit at all times. This can include all sorts of prayer, from concentrated times with the Lord
on your knees, to prayers breathed out in the grocery store line up, to times of praying in
your spiritual language in the car.
We can use the connection we have to the Spirit of God to intercede in prayer for others.
Just as God will help us to pray in line with His will for ourselves, we can listen for ways to
pray in line with His will for others. This is a much more effective way to deal with directive
words you think God may be giving you about others. It’s been made clear that running to tell
others what you sense they ought to be doing is a no-no. But running to the Lord in prayer is
an affirmative!
Are you frustrated with someone because of the decisions they are making? Take those
frustrations to the Lord and intercede for your friend. Do you just wish someone from work
would change their tone or their attitude? Shower love on them and pray for them when they
come to mind. When we sense God revealing something to us about another person, our
default response should be a leap into prayer!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. What are some of the frustrations you have with others? What are some things you think
God has revealed to you about others?
2. Ask God to give you a humble perspective and a heart of love towards these people, so
that you can pray for them in line with God’s heart. Confess any bitterness or unforgiveness
that comes up.
3. Take these things to prayer. As you did yesterday, ask the Lord to direct your prayers, to
make them specific and effective. Pray in His direction.

Foundations June 26, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING
John 14:13-14 (NIV); And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may
bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

God comprehends all things, and is thus incomprehensible. He is partial in the revelation of
His character to us, yet absolutely whole in Himself. The world is unaware of Him, yet He
is completely aware of it. What a wonderful mystery He is! And this fantastic power makes
Jesus’ words in John 14 come alive!
As we’ve learned over the past few weeks, merely declaring something “in the name of
Jesus” does not mean it is truly spoken in His name and in line with His will. But when we
are walking with Him and listening to His voice and obeying his word, we will come in line
with His will. And when we pray on the same page as Him, things will advance!
Some people treat God as an elusive director, thinking that He tends to give things a push
start and a little tweak here and there and then steps back into the shadows. But God is
hands-on and even wants to help us to listen and pray in line with His will. He doesn’t want
us to come trudging up to Him and say, “God help me to like my job” or “help me to be
nicer” or “teach me to love my spouse”. Just as God wants to give us strategies through
prayer, He wants to give us strategies as to how to pray! He wants to help us to clarify our
requests, and hone them into the core of what we are truly asking for. He knows our hearts
and our needs better than we do, and He wants to help us to understand those things too.
As we do, we will pray more in line with His will and when we ask for His will in His name,
great things will happen!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Write down three major prayer requests, and deep needs of your heart.
2. Now flesh these things out. Write out each request in detail. What exactly are you asking
God to do?
3. Now, in listening prayer, go through each request. Ask God to help you craft a prayer that
is in line with His will. Ask Him to show you His desires, and where your own need to be
tweaked. Then pray these things. Frequently return to these prayers and ask God how He
wants to prune them even more.

Foundations June 25, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Ephesians 1-3
SCRIPTURE READING
Titus 3:1-2 (NIV); Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient,
to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate,
and to show true humility toward all men.

Part of listening prayer and listening to godly council includes respecting the authority
of our leaders. The wonderful truth that we can hear from God directly has led many to
an extreme idea that they don’t need human leadership. But again, we must remember
that we have a “me-filter” and that God often gives us only partial revelation of His will.
Therefore we are not released to hastily say or believe everything we think is from God.
God works through His delegated authorities. Did you catch that? God DELEGATES
authority and USES them to help us! God will not tell you to undermine the very order
He has established. In fact, if God’s going to bring something to the church, He will do
it through the leadership. Pride, and a lack of trust in God, is what leads us to scurry
around challenging the church leadership and planting our own ideas into the heads of
anyone who will listen. But God is sovereign and has His own timetable. He will not tell you
something so that you can sow seeds of dissention in His church. And in the cases where
God reveals something true and prophetic to you about the direction of the church, He
does so that you may be spurred on to pray. And remember these things: If it is really God
speaking to me, then He can speak to leadership too; if leadership refuses to get it, God
can remove people from leadership without my help; and if the problem is me, God can
remove me too.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Confess negative thoughts and words towards church leadership. Ask God to show you
where you offenses lie.
2. Have you sensed God telling you something about church leadership, teaching or
direction? What have you done with this information? Make a commitment to God that you
will remain silent and humble, and speak positively of the church, that you’ll trust Him to
reveal truth, and that you will pray for the church.
3. Meditate on Titus 1:2-3. How can you bless your church, ministry or cell leaders this
week?

Foundations June 24, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Galatians 5-6
SCRIPTURE READING
2 Chronicles 31:4-5 (NIV); He ordered the people living in Jerusalem to give the portion
due the priests and Levites so they could devote themselves to the Law of the LORD. As
soon as the order went out, the Israelites generously gave the firstfruits of their grain, new
wine, oil and honey and all that the fields produced. They brought a great amount, a tithe of
everything.

After years of living in sin under the rule of the wicked king Ahaz, King Hezekiah called the
people of Judah to repent and turn back to the Lord. And they were glad to do so! Pagan
worship didn’t offer the hedge of security promised them when they followed God; rather
the curse of the Lord had come upon them. A return to the Lord meant restoration and
redemption, so giving of their tithes and offerings was a joy.
Tithing a tenth of our income, including paycheques and gifts of money, is a command.
Many of us work as hard as we can to evade giving, and strive to tithe the minimum
amount we can justify. Others of us tithe consistently out of habit and duty, but our hearts
are completely unengaged.
We need to take specific time to listen in prayer about our finances. It is a good idea
to periodically re-evaluate your budget, to ask the Lord what He has to say about your
giving, to search your heart for dishonesty and hoarding, and to double-check that you
are giving out of a grateful heart. God Himself demonstrated the tithe when he gave Christ
– the firstborn Son – as a ransom for many. Why would we not show our worship and
thanksgiving by offering back to Him?

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Do you tithe on everything you are given? Ask God to search your heart for areas of
selfishness, hoarding and dishonesty, and confess those things to Him.
2. Spend some time listening about your finances. Is there anything God is calling you to
stop our start?
3. What has God given you? List off ten of the blessings you’ve received and thank Him.
Ask God to give you a joy in giving back to Him.
4. Selfishness is a common issue. Ask God how you can strive to live a life of grateful
sacrifice.

Foundations June 23, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Galatians 3-4
SCRIPTURE READING
Jeremiah 33:2-3 (NIV); This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD
who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you
and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

The Bible is the primary way through which God speaks, and is so necessary as an anchor
for everything else in our lives. It is so comforting to know that God’s word remains, and that
we can measure what we hear in prayer to what He has already spoken through His word.
However, the Bible does not speak specifically into every situation we may face. But God
has infinite understanding and resources that we can draw from to help us face our specific
issues with clarity and confidence.
Along with the obvious strategies that are offered us (like prayer, confession, fasting, etc),
God wants to speak directly into our situations, giving us brilliantly practical ideas that will
help us to solve specific problems! He knows how to deal with discipline in the home. He is
a well of creativity when you run out of the stuff you need to accomplish your job. He knows
how to successfully influence and motivate people. He has all the tactics for making solid
friendships. You have a question, He has the answer! And this God of abundant knowledge
and resourcefulness is our Advocate!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Which situations in your life do you just need some practically applicable direction? Read
the verses from Jeremiah, and pray this prayer as your own.
2. Take time to listen to God’s direction in these areas that came to mind. Think of problems
with kids, disagreements with your spouse, tension in friendships, frustrations with
employees or bosses, personal anxieties, etc. Let God speak to you about His specific
strategies for these things.

Foundations June 22, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Galatians 1-2
SCRIPTURE READING
Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV); Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full
armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

God acts with purposeful strategy. Just think about the strategies of humanity: battles won,
cures found, and athletic victories are all results of strategic tests and plans. The only reason
we have accomplished such great feats is because we are created in the image of an allcreative
God. With His strategy He has won the ultimate battle and defeated the greatest
enemy!
God wants to speak specifically into our personal battles. He wants to share His mind for
strategy with us. Confession, thanksgiving, prayer, fasting, worship, spiritual gifts and the
armour of God are all powerful strategic weapons of the church, many of which are completely
underutilized! We often think of these things as chores, when they can actually give us great
VICTORIES in the spiritual real and the natural world! Regular confession humbles and refines
us, making us more susceptible to the voice of the Lord. Thanksgiving keeps us remembering
His goodness. Prayer enables us to get on the same page as God. Fasting shows devotion
and sacrifice. Worship focuses our hearts and makes great advances against Satan. The
spiritual weapons of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the word of God enable
us to fight against Satan’s advances. Let us sharpen up and seek the Lord through these great
tactics He has provided!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Of all the strategies listed here, which are your defaults when you need direction? Why do
you tend to go to those? How do they work well for you?
2. Ask God to show you which of these tactics you have neglected. What has kept you from
them? Confess any unbelief or laziness on your part.
3. Ask God which weapons you need to start adding to your spiritual arsenal today, and spend
time working on that now.

Foundations June 21, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: 2 Corinthians 10-13
SCRIPTURE READING
Romans 8:28 (ESV); And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who
love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

What happens when we know we have completely disobeyed the Lord? We received clear
direction from Him and chose to take another route. Blatant sin is a dangerous thing, and
when we recognize our actions as such, repentance is the first step. God loves a heart that
turns to Him in true confession and a desire to do differently.
And yet consequences remain. God clearly warned you not to marry your spouse but
you went ahead with it and now, years later, there are major struggles. You continued
friendships in junior high that you were clearly warned to run away from, and today you
are still dealing with the junk from the path those friends lead you down. God warned you
to change a hardened heart, and today you struggle with a physical illness because you
refused.
The verse above is not a magic lifeline. We can’t recite it and expect all our mistakes to
be smoothed out. God is not obligated to get us out of situations that we put ourselves in.
Consequences are a natural outworking of sin, and one that God does not usually whisk
away with repentance. The guilt can be gone while the consequence remains.
And yet God still has great purpose for us, and if we love Him and are pursuing Him
wholeheartedly, He will work for our good in spite of past mistakes. He doesn’t stand with
arms crossed in pouty refusal to love us. He is wonderful and sovereign and is willing and
able to walk with us as we bear the consequences of our sin.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Is this you? Have you blatantly disobeyed God before? Ask Him to point out times where
you have done this and the situation remains unconfessed. Are you ready to repent? If so,
spend some time on that now.
2. How have you experienced consequences for sin in your life? Have you remained
faithful amid those consequences?
3. Meditate on Romans 8:28. Ask God to remind you of times when He gave you renewed
purpose after you confessed sin. Ask Him to do that again today.

Foundations June 20, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: 2 Corinthians 7-9
SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 143:5-6 (ESV); I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I
ponder the work of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a
parched land.

This verse paints a lovely picture of steadfastness and humility before the Lord. When it is
hard to see what God is doing in our lives we can remember the days of old and meditate
on all that God has done. When God seems silent, or when it seems as though the journey
is hopeless we can anchor ourselves to what we know God has done. This was Israel’s lot.
When they forgot the goodness of the Lord they plunged into complaining, fear and idolatry.
But remembrance brought repentance, peace and deliverance.
This song of David’s gives us another picture to take to heart. When we are feeling
discouraged, we don’t need to make ourselves sound fine, dandy and oh-so-spiritual. In
honesty the psalmist unveils his feelings; that he longs to feel near to the Lord, to receive
guidance. He reaches out his hands; if only he could stretch far enough to touch the
Lord. We don’t have to pretend that we are high on a mountain when we are struggling.
Without being a negative, we can be honest about our feelings. The sin comes in when
we are blinded to God’s goodness by our forgetfulness and thanklessness. But in honest
humility and remembrance, we will see the light of Christ and the everlasting hope that is
guaranteed to all who persevere till the end.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. How can you relate to today’s devotional? Have you tried to make yourself sound fine
when you really need help? If you need it, seek out help through the church’s resources
such as cells, after service prayer, a personal ministry appointment or an Encounter retreat.
2. Spend some time in remembrance, as David did. Think about the incredible work of
God’s hands in your life and the world around you. Ask God to help you to cling to these
truths when you come into times of trouble.
3. Tell the Lord honestly how you feel. If you long for Him to do something, tell Him how
and why your soul thirsts. Humble yourself before Him and let Him speak His words to you.
Praise Him for the things He tells you.

Foundations June 19, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING
Philippians 1:3-6 (ESV); I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer
of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from
the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to
completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Not everything God calls us to do will be obvious, easy, or even logical. However we always
assume common sense, wisdom and agreement from godly people as a great asset before
jumping to accept illogical direction. But of course there are exceptions to the norm, and God
will ask us to do things that seem illogical, especially to the world. Consistently tithing or fulfilling
a pledge when there is a job loss in the family seems crazy to society. Extending forgiveness
and restoration towards an unfaithful spouse is interpreted as weak desperation to the world.
Turning down a job with a huge pay increase would seem delirious to the general population.
But when we are truly walking in line with God’s will we will have peace in the valleys.
When we committed ourselves to Christ, we began a partnership in the gospel. Christ started
something in you when you decided to make Him your functional Lord. And that something is
continuing! And as we allow Him to do one thing in us, He starts another. As we mature, we are
refined. And He does not procrastinate or drop a project in the middle. Take heart! If God has
called you to walk a difficult road of obedience, He will carry you through to its completion!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. How do you need to be encouraged through difficult obedience today? Ask God to give you a
thought, picture or scripture of promise.
2. Have you given up or procrastinated on something that God has asked you to do? Don’t
over-spiritualize the question. It could be something as practical as keeping your house clean
or being true to your word. Allow Him to point out any areas and confess your neglect as
disobedience.
3. Meditate on the verses above. What does God want to say to you about the work He has
done, is doing and will do in your life?

Foundations June 18, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: 2 Corinthians 4-6
SCRIPTURE READING
Jeremiah 1:4 (NIV); Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set
you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

These were God’s words when He called Jeremiah to a life of prophecy and, minus the specific
calling, these are His words to us. “Before I formed you,” He says, “I knew you. Before you
were born I set you apart; I appointed you as... [fill in the blank].” We are created with purpose,
and we are purposed for greatness! Before we even entered the world, God saw the span of
our lives.
You are loved. Your life has meaning. Your thoughts and opinions are valuable. We go through
seasons where character is tested and grown, and where we are stretched beyond what we
ever thought our limits were. It’s not uncommon to go through periods where we question our
significance, but God has purpose for us in all spheres.
The creation of the world took place in steps until it was completed. The salvation of humanity
included a plan and process from the fall of man to the resurrection of Christ, to His future
return! God’s very character displays a purposeful and goal-oriented God! We too can ask Him
to reveal goals for our lives! We need to seek out His purposes for our ministry involvement,
our careers, our families, etc. Life shouldn’t be a grind of boring repetition. We should desire to
further God’s kingdom and increase our impact, gain ground and celebrate success every day!
We need to start dreaming about God’s incredible plans for us!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Take a significant amount of time to listen in prayer about your work, school, ministry, family,
and any other major areas or relationships.
a. Ask God to reveal His purpose and calling to you in these areas.
b. How has God already used you to accomplish some of His purposes?
c. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you clear goals in these areas. Ask Him for a strategy
to fulfill them.
d. Ask God to give you the passion, discipline, and power of the Spirit needed for
you to follow through on all that He has shown you.

Foundations June 17, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: 2 Corinthians 1-3
SCRIPTURE READING
Isaiah 55:9 (NIV); As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

So what happens when we have heard wrong? It is not uncommon, and it doesn’t make us
bad. Just because we have the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean the voice of God is suddenly crystal
clear. We need to think of God’s voice as a crackling old radio; it’s fuzzy and not always
clear, so we are bound to make mistakes.
Saul, later the Apostle Paul, thought that he was doing the will of God, going from town
to town persecuting followers of Jesus. He was not innocent in his misunderstanding. It
stemmed from pride and his actions broke God’s moral law. Sometimes our mishearing also
finds roots in pride.
Other times, we think we are hearing wrong because our eyes are stuck on our own plan,
when God is actually fulfilling His word in a way we are not expecting. When the prophet
Samuel entered Jesse’s house and stood before his seven strapping sons, he though they
looked promising, yet none of them were to be anointed king of Israel. It was the unexpected
shepherd boy, David, who was to assume the royal throne. God’s plan was a surprise to
Samuel.
And sometimes we hear a word or get a picture that really does just come from our
imaginations, and that’s ok. It shouldn’t scare us or keep us from listening to God, but it
should humble us to hold everything loosely. It should encourage us to regularly read God’s
Word so that we can hold everything we hear up against the sound foundation of Scripture.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Think of a time when you heard wrong. Ask God to speak to you through today’s
devotional. Was the mishearing a result of sin? Was it through your imagination? Or has God
actually fulfilled His word in His own way?
2. Ask God to grow you in humility. Ask Him to show you something active you can do today
that can help you in this.
3. Mediate on today’s verse and ask God to speak to you through it. How does He want to
apply it to your life today?

Foundations June 16, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: 1 Corinthians 15-16
SCRIPTURE READING
1 Corinthians 4:2 (NIV); Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must
prove faithful.

Sometimes we receive words, or think we receive words, from God for others, and for those
instances we have a rule: Don’t give directive words to others about non-moral issues.
A directive word is anytime we tell someone what to do as a result of listening prayer or
a prophetic word. Unless it’s a blatant moral command of scripture, we don’t run around
telling others what to do. “I sense God telling you…“I feel God saying…” or “God told me to
tell you…” are the kinds of phrases that we must stay away from when sharing with others.
We will not tell others to go off of their medication, take a certain job, invest in a specific
business, etc based on what we think the Lord is saying. Different from giving advice, giving
a directive word is telling someone what you think God is telling them. And who wants to be
responsible for giving a directive word that turns out to be false?
The number of church splits and people leaving churches over loose tongues and unfounded
prophecies are proof enough that this is something to be taken seriously. We need to use
our common sense and trust God that He can reveal truth to people without using us to force
feed it to them. It can be a dangerous thing to speak on behalf of the Lord. Rather we can
gently point out moral obligations and obvious sin issues, and we may carefully give humble
advice from personal experiences that relate to the issue at hand. If we do these things we
will encourage the body of Christ towards healthy growth!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Have you been given a directive word about someone else that you think is from the Lord?
What is it? Take time to search your heart and check your motives. Is this really a word from
God, or could it be a negative judgment on your part?
2. Meditate on today’s verse. How has God entrusted His word to you? How can you prove
yourself faithful of this trust?
3. Is there someone with whom you have a solid and established relationship that you know
is acting in obvious sin as revealed in scripture? Ask God if and how He may want to use you
to gently point them towards His truth.

Foundations June 15, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: 1 Corinthians 12-14
SCRIPTURE READING
Proverbs 2:1-2, 5 (NIV); My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within
you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding... then you will
understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

The intimacy that we can have with God through Jesus Christ must be preceded by the fear
of the Lord. Before we can get to know God’s character deeply, we need to understand His
holiness and cultivate a heart of reverence towards Him. But before we can develop a fear of
the Lord, we need wisdom.
Wisdom comes through listening and learning, tuning our ears to the wisdom of godly people.
Godly council is a PILLAR of confirmation. And notice the word “godly”. We’re not just looking
for any Joe Blow to come along and say, “Hey that sounds great!” We’re looking for people
who we can trust to tell us the truth, even if it is not exactly what we want to hear. We’ve all
heard other people share an idea that sounded a little wonky and thought, “What in the world
is this person thinking?” Yet when the tables are turned and we’re the wonky one, we are
totally blind to our wonkiness! Our personalities and biases are bound to get in the way, and
if what we are hearing is received with disagreement and warning from those around us, we
should step back to think and pray through things again.
The Holy Spirit is not out to play tricks on us. He wants to guide us into all truth, and he
actually loves to bring alignment to the things we are hearing. Make it a habit to listen in prayer
with your spouse, start going to a cell and sharing openly, and find people for accountability.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Are you eager to listen to, and learn from others? Ask God to point out any pride in your life
that is keeping you from tuning your ears to wisdom.
2. Is there anything that you’ve been hearing in listening prayer that you ought to bring before
others for confirmation? Who? Tell them what you sense God is saying and ask them to pray
with you.
3. If you’re married, spend time with your spouse listening in prayer together over different
issues. Otherwise, get together with a friend and do the same. Listen for each other and share.

Foundations June 14, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: 1 Corinthians 8-11
SCRIPTURE READING
Matthew 25:45-46 (NIV); A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the
responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns
and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.

The faithful servant obeyed his master’s wishes while the master was away, and reward followed.
When God tells us to do something and we respond with obedience, we will receive a blessing.
There should be evident fruit coming out of our obedience. If you feel that God is telling you to
start a new ministry involvement, there should be some semblance of fruit, even if the beginning
is rocky. If we continue to press on and press on when God has not called us to action, we are
displaying obstinacy and stubbornness, not perseverance. This is an important confirmation to
look for!
But saying that God will bless our obedience doesn’t mean that we will be showered with presents
of worldly success. It means that God will provide everything we need to carry out what He has
asked us to do. And God’s blessing will also produce some good fruit. Our actions will bring about
some positive affects in our lives and the lives of those around us. This all sounds so simple,
doesn’t it? Trusting God seems so obvious and secure when we step back and look at the big
picture!
Remember this warning: God is not obligated to get us out of situations that we have put
ourselves in by our refusal to listen to him. To declare “Provision, in the name of Jesus!” when we
have willingly entered into a situation that God warned us about will not be a magic pill. If that is
the case, we need to come to the Lord in humble repentance and start obeying Him today.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Think about areas of ministry, family and career. Where do you see God’s clear blessing in your
life for obedience in these areas? Thank Him for these things.
2. Thinking of these same areas of ministry, family and career, ask the Lord if you are not
experiencing His blessing in any way due to a lack of obedience. Repent of anything He reveals.
3. Where do you see evident fruit in your life because you’ve obeyed God? Ask Him to help you
continue.

Foundations June 13, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: 1 Corinthians 5-7
SCRIPTURE READING
Judges 6:17 (NIV); If now I have found favour in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really
you talking to me.

These are the words of Gideon. God was giving Him a hefty task to save Israel from Midian.
He didn’t want to blindly accept what he sensed was a word from the Lord, so he tested the
spirit behind the word.
When seeking God’s direction in our lives, it is important to look for points of confirmation.
To blindly accept one word received in listening prayer can be very foolish. Of course the
obvious test is: “does this contradict scripture?” and if it does, we throw it out immediately.
However there are times when we thought we heard God so clearly only to find that things
didn’t turn out. That’s ok! We are always learning. But there are some points of confirmation
that it is good to look out for when discerning what you are hearing: 1) Words, thoughts and
pictures that get repeated. In listening to God, you have certain things that continue to come
up over and over. 2) Circumstances come together with what you think God is telling you. For
instance, you’ve been sensing that God is telling you to take your house off the market, and
though you’ve had tons of showings, there are no offers coming in. This seems to confirm
what you sensed God saying. 3) God’s blessing follows your obedience. Good fruit comes
out of our obedience. 4) You receive scripture that supports what you’ve been sensing. And,
5) there is agreement and affirmation from godly, trusted people in your life. Looking for at
least some of these things will help us to wisely determine God’s will for our lives.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. When have you been so certain that you heard God telling you to do something, only to
find that you had heard wrong? Was there something you should have done differently?
2. Look over these points of confirmation. When has God used some, or all of these in the
past to make His direction clear to you?
3. What is an area/situation where you really want to know God’s direction or purpose for
you? Have you found confirmation in any of these five ways? Commit to spending regular
time in prayer, pursuing

Foundations June 12, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 32:8 (NIV); I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you
and watch over you.

God wants to direct our paths. A core value of Southland Church is “Jesus as Functional
Lord.” Jesus needs to be the active Master of our lives. For Jesus to actively be Lord of our
lives, we need to consult Him on matters all across the spectrum. For some of us, it is the
small stuff that we tend to keep from the Lord; sometimes because we choose to, and other
times because we see God as more of a big-league player with little interest in “petty” things.
Listening to God while purchasing a pair of pants or a coffee can seem silly to us, but it may be
in these very instances where God wants to teach us something about following His lead.
For others, it is the large affairs that are sought and carried out without the Lord’s input. We
make impulsive decisions about career changes, investments and vacations because we are
afraid that the Lord’s timing will be too late, or His desires will be the opposite of ours. We lack
the faith and trust to surrender to the perfect will of God.
Yet when we step back and think of the bird’s eye, history-spanning view that our Maker has,
our self-dependence seems so futile. Listening to God doesn’t mean that we must be down
on our knees in the Tim Horton’s line-up, but it means keeping a tuned ear to the voice of the
Spirit. God holds the seat of utmost honour and glory, and His opinions and desires deserve
the highest respect in our lives.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Think of the small decisions you make throughout your day. Are your ears tuned to hear
Him if He wants to speak? Ask God if He wants to give you direction on the little things in your
days, like spending and eating habits, spare time, etc.
2. What major areas/situations are you looking for guidance with? What have you gotten in
prayer and advice so far? Spend time listening to anything else you think God might be saying.
3. Read Psalm 32:8 again and then take your remaining time for further Bible reading. Ask
God to give you a word for one of these major situations, or for your day in general.

Foundations June 11, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: 1 Corinthians 1-4
SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 36:5-7 (NIV); Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you
preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among
men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.

God’s love is really awesome. Paul told the Romans that it is God’s kindness that leads us to
repentance. We can confess our sins and turn from our ways because He is so loving to take us
back and to empower us to do His will! We focus much on unveiling the false teachings of cheap
grace and “once-saved-always-saved” but this must not be seen as a belittlement of God’s love!
It is because of God’s love that we can be saved! It is because of God’s love that we can repent
of our sin and find freedom! His warnings and even His discipline reveal His love.
But God also wants to speak His love into your life. He is gentle and merciful and He wants to
reveal the feelings He holds for you.
We are called to love others, be it our best friends or our greatest enemies. We need to love
others with the love of Christ. But how can we do this if we do not know the love of Christ? How
can we love others unconditionally if we do not have a grasp on God’s unconditional love for
us? If God had revealed His love through the cross alone, it would be enough, but He has given
us SO many blessings above and beyond that, and He actually wants to reveal details of the
love that He has for you as an individual. What an incredible Father!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Take a few moments to meditate on the above verse and how it speaks to you.
2. Spend time listening to God about His love for you. Ask Him specific questions such as:
How are you proud of me?
What do you enjoy watching me do?
What talent do you love to see me use?
What is a gift you’ve given me that I should be tapping into?
Show me a picture of your love.

Foundations June 10, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Romans 14-16
SCRIPTURE READING
Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV); Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my
anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

In His sermon on the mount, Jesus described how easy it is for us to look at others and call
out their faults while ignoring the blaring issues in our own lives. The enemy loves to distract
us from dealing with our own shortcomings by directing our focus towards the faults of others.
Pride quickly follows and molehills turn to mountains.
Therefore, it is essential that we take time to listen about ourselves. “Grace” “holiness” and
“righteousness” are not words magically spoken over us, making sin a non-issue in our lives.
These things are only activated when we reverently repent of our sin and work with the Holy
Spirit to turn from our wickedness. We will never grow to be mature in the faith if we do not do
this. Our ears will not grow keener to His voice if we do not allow Him to speak about our own
areas of offense and wrongdoing.
Paul said, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” As Christians we
are to live rightly by the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If we are actually allowing Him
to work in us, we will walk with Him through the practical, moment by moment. We can label
ourselves whatever we want, but if we are not allowing the Spirit to work in our lives, we are
not living by Him. Do you want to live by the Spirit? Do you want to hear Him direct you? Then
the place to start is with repentance.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Read Psalm 139:23-24 as a prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and point out
your motives, anxious thoughts, offensive ways and other sinful thoughts and attitudes. Spend
time in repentance: confess your sin to the Lord, ask for His forgiveness and determine how
you can go out and do the opposite of what you’ve been doing.
2. Ask the Lord to point out times during the past few weeks when you have been obedient to
him despite difficulty. Ask Him to help you continue to walk obediently, and to remain humble.
3. How can you keep in step with the Spirit today? How can you keep your ears tuned to His
direction?

Foundations June 9, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Romans 12-13
SCRIPTURE READING
Matthew 4:7 (NIV); Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the
test.’”

There is a difference between testing the spirits and testing God. When we receive a word from
the Lord and look for confirmation, we are testing our own hearts, understanding our weaknesses
and admitting that we don’t trust our own judgment. On the other hand, when we test God we
question his goodness and ability.
We all experience a level of testing, whether in the workplace or the home. Whining children,
demanding customers and incompetent coworkers test our patience frequently. These things are
only glimpses of what God – the orchestrator of the earth – experiences when we put Him to the
test.
“But I would never even think to test God!” we say. But our words and actions prove otherwise.
Complaining and grumbling when God has given us countless blessings grates Him. Making God
prove Himself to us by way of threats – “God, if you don’t heal this person I don’t think I can trust
you anymore” – tries Him. Doubting that God can actually carry out His promises when His word
clearly affirms His reliability tests Him. We are all guilty of these things.
God has given us much blessing, not to mention his incomprehensible gift of eternal life through
the forgiveness of sins! To think that we – His creation – are pretentious enough to stand before
Him and complain, question his authority and even threaten Him is baffling. A habit of this testing
is like playing with fire.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Take an inventory of your speech this past week. How many times can you recount yourself
complaining in your thoughts, actions and words?
When have you threatened God in your heart?
How have you doubted God’s ability to act and intervene in your life?
2. Ask God to give you an understanding of the dangers of testing Him, and take time to repent of
these things.
3. Meditate on God’s goodness in your own life, and the mightiness of His character. Let these
things be your focus today.

Foundations June 8, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Romans 9-11
SCRIPTURE READING

1 John 4:1 (NIV); Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they
are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Hearing God is a wonderful gift that brings life. However, we’ve all heard stories, and have had
our own experiences that show it is possible for our ears to miss the message. Surely massacres
done “in the name of the Lord” and condemnation spoken over people in the church through the
ever-common phrase “the Lord told me to tell you…” were not done or said through the guidance
of the Holy Spirit.
We are human, and as such, we make mistakes. Even the words of the Spirit of God, spoken
deep into our hearts, pass through the “me-filter.” We all come with bents and biases that affect
our hearing. This is why it is so important to continually grow in the practice of hearing God’s
voice. His voice is often indistinct, and it requires a trained ear to hear Him accurately.
We must hold the things we receive in prayer loosely. Much damage has been done in branches
of the church where congregations were given free rein to speak out “in the name of the Lord.”
When we hear what we think is a directional word from the Lord, we need to test the spirit behind
what we are hearing and look for confirmation. Even those who are, or who consider themselves
gifted in the prophetic are responsible to this verse, and to the humility of holding their received
words loosely. We can all hear God and we all do make mistakes. These two truths are
humbling.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Do you just accept any and every word that passes through your heart and mind as a word
from the Lord? Take some time to review the things you’ve been hearing. Are there any blatant
red flags, such as contradictions to Scripture?
2. Are you guilty of speaking to someone “in the name of the Lord?” Ask God to show you how
and when you spoke on His behalf when you should have been silent. Have you confessed this?
3. Practice listening to God by asking Him to give you an encouraging word to share with
someone else today. This is a healthy way to practice hearing God.

Foundations June 7, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Romans 7-8
SCRIPTURE READING
James 1:5 (NIV); If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all
without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

We could decipher this verse to mean that God is similar to a vending machine: put in a dollar,
get out some wisdom. But what if we ask for wisdom and seem to receive nothing? Where does
this verse stand during those times when we ask God for His guidance and receive silence?
When we read on in James, we are given a warning that those who doubt the truth of God’s
generous wisdom will not experience it. But what about those who really do have faith?
Society pushes independence as power – those who don’t have anyone telling them what to
do are admired as free beings. And if man were the measure of all things, this would be true.
But no matter one’s rank or title, God presides high above them all. Man will never match His
glory or power, and this realization removes the pressures of society and brings true freedom.
In God’s kingdom, dependence is a virtue. And this is one reason why faithful people can still
experience lapses of silence when they are truly seeking God’s purposes. If God’s answers
were always clear and concise, pride and self-dependence would soon follow. Hearing God
would become a checkmark on our list of accomplishments. Rather, God asks that we depend
on Him and trust that His wisdom and direction comes at a perfect pace and in a perfect way.
No one whose hope is in the Lord will be put to shame!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. When and how have you been pursuing God’s purposes and received silence? How have
you experienced frustration?
2. Ask God to reveal if there is any unconfessed sin or lack of faith that is standing in the way,
and confess anything that is brought up.
3. How have you been depending on yourself and your own power in your life? Confess and
ask God to give you an understanding of His trustworthiness and perfect nature through a
picture, scripture or thought. Pray that you would shift your dependency totally onto Him.

Foundations June 6, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Romans 4-6
SCRIPTURE READING
James 4:17 (ESV); So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
John 13:14 (ESV); If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to
wash one another’s feet.

There are many “ought’s” given to us in scripture and impressed upon our hearts that
we would do well to adhere to. Listening to God is important, but it does not permit us
to throw common sense to the wind. There are those things that don’t require prayer,
wise council or supernatural events before we take action.

We over-spiritualize things sometimes. But God actually doesn’t want us constantly
coming to Him in listening prayer about things we should already be doing
automatically. For an unmarried couple to pray about whether or not they should
continue living together is futile when scripture makes the point clear. Many similar
situations coincide: “Should I start tithing out of my paycheque?” “Maybe I should
start being honest on my time card.” “Should I apologize to my spouse for that
cruel comment I made?” The scenarios are countless. However we actually do ask
these sorts of questions. Not because we don’t know the answer, but because we
actually hope that in the process of God conveying His thoughts to us, something
will be twisted into a more appealing response. However, if we receive an unbiblical
answer to our questions, we can be certain that our own biases have construed the
message. God’s Word is binding and true and He will not speak against Himself.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. What ought you be doing that you have cast aside? List the things that come to
mind and then honestly ask God to reveal any others. Take time to confess.
2. Where have you been over-spiritualizing things instead of using common sense
and the basic revelations of scripture?
3. What steps of action do you need to take after meditating on these questions?
Make a list of the things you need to do, and ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to
start doing those things today.

Foundations June 5, 2011

SCRIPTURE READING
John 14:20 (NIV); On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and
I am in you.

Discovering God’s purposes for our lives requires that we hear from Him. Call it what you
will; it requires prayer and listening to the thoughts, words, pictures, Scriptures, etc that God
impresses upon your heart. This is a blatant biblical truth. Jesus did only what he saw the
Father doing, and said only what He heard the Father saying because He was full of the Spirit
and was in constant communion with the Father. He listened. So with these words – “you
will realize that I am in the Father, and you are in me, and I am in you” – Jesus was making
it clear that we can be in that same communion with God. We can hear Him, and respond to
what we hear!
Listening to God needs to become a consistent and disciplined part of our personal time with
the Lord. Only then will we hear Him as we go about our daily business. As Eli said to the
boy Samuel, “go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is
listening.’” We will not hear God when we are sleeping, eating, working or playing if we have
not made a habit of taking intentional time to listen. There are many Spirit-filled Christians
who walk in the Spirit, obeying the voice of God with almost every step, but they weren’t born
that way. Our undisciplined, sinful nature does not naturally bend towards listening to anyone.
But as we listen to the Spirit, our nature will change too, and we will start to have a greater
understanding of what God wants of us.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Is disciplined listening a regular part of your time with the Lord? How has your sense of
God’s voice grown or diminished in the past few months?
2. God is in you and you are in Him! Mediate on this. How can this be a transformational truth
in your life?
3. Take time to really listen to God right now. Ask HIM for questions that He wants you to ask
Him about. Then ask these things and listen to His answers.

Foundations June 4, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Romans 1-3
SCRIPTURE READING
Song of Solomon 4:10 (NIV); How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more
pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice!

If we could just realize that God actually delights in us, we would see ourselves and our
surroundings so differently. A painter doesn’t cast off his greatest work of art; a composer
doesn’t hide his magnum opus. If the creator of a masterpiece truly views his work as such, he
will examine and enjoy it. Because God called his creation excellent and made it complete with
humans we can be sure that He examines and enjoys us. Solomon’s affectionate love song
illustrates the feelings of God: He takes pleasure in our love for Him, and it is unlike anything
else. Stop and think about that: God has seen everything: exotic and far-off places, the most
savoury food, the thrill of success, the wildest of dreams… all that we would deem to be the
most incredible experiences God has already fathomed, and all of them pale in comparison to
us. This is humbling, and yet invigorating! To repeat the words of the psalmist, “O Lord, who am
I that you are mindful of me?”
God’s delight doesn’t blind Him to our sin. A child can be adorably delightful, yet a temper or
sour mood calls for punishment. The Father’s love is unconditional, yet necessary punishment
keeps us in line and teaches us the goodness of His ways. As we learn those ways, our
temperament becomes more delightful and the intimacy of our relationship deepens.

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. How have you been a temperamental child towards the Lord? Ask God to show you these
areas of sin and take time to repent and think about how you can turn from your own ways.
2. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal different ways that God delights in you. Ask Him for a specific
understanding of these things. Do you believe Him?
3. Meditate on the truth that, among all of the wonderful places and experiences out there, God
values you above all of them. Allow this to bring you into worship.

Foundations June 3, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Acts 26-28
SCRIPTURE READING
Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV); And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more
in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may
be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes
through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

There are some things that all people are purposed for, and loving God is primary. And in
this love for our Maker, we are purposed to have an intimate relationship with Him who
exemplifies the very idea of purpose.
A common tendency is to separate THE relationship from other relationships – intimacy
with God from the reality of daily living. But Christ IS reality. A disciplined and focused
regime of spending uninterrupted time with the Lord is vital in connecting our spirit to His
and increasing our understanding of His character and His Word, but that closeness must
be carried on in every motion of the day-to-day. The one-on-one time with Him checks our
motives and creates a soft and fertile ground in which seeds can be planted and grown. And
this softening refines our reflection of His image. Out of time spent in His presence comes
a gentler answer in the workplace. Out of intimacy with Him comes greater depth in already
established friendships. Out of an experience of His love comes a flood of mercy onto all
those whose paths we cross. We are purposed for an intimacy with God that extends into
every aspect of our lives. As we seek Him, our love for others will abound more and more!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Is your relationship with God vibrant? How do you know? If there is apathy, confess it.
2. Meditate on the scripture passage. What does God want to say to you through it about
how your relationship with Him can affect the fruit of love in your life?
3. Ask God to show you how your level of intimacy with Him is influencing your
relationships? Is love abounding more and more in your life? Ask Him what you need to
do to grow in a personal and intimate relationship with Him that can overflow into love for
others.

Foundations June 2, 2011

NEW TESTAMENT READING PLAN: Acts 22-25
SCRIPTURE READING
Genesis 1:26a-27 (ESV); Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female
he created them.

We bear the image of our Creator. This is a staggering truth if only we take the time to meditate
on it. Yahweh – the God who created the world and conquered death – made us as a reflection
of Himself! Unfortunately many of us are poor images of our Creator, reflections out of dirty
mirrors. But we were meant to be great reflections of God’s character!
If we could only understand this and clean off the grime that is keeping us from displaying
God’s image, our lives could be such a great testament to those around us! Just as creation
is made to praise God and speak forth His glory and knowledge, we are created to display the
glory and fullness of God. Understanding this should cause us to take greater responsibility
for our words and actions. Understanding this should cause us to look at others with a much
greater level of love and respect.
Too often we make others in our own image, judging them for their thoughts and actions. We
compare them to us. If the comparison puts us to shame, we come up with some reason to
push them off their pedestal. If the comparison glorifies us, we think less of them. Neither of
these describes people as they are: human beings fearfully and wonderfully made in the image
of a loving God. Let us strip ourselves of pride and see the truth of God’s imprint on humanity!

PRAYER and MEDITATION
1. Ask God to show you areas where you are being a positive reflection of His character and
nature.
Ask God to reveal areas where you are damaging His image through your actions, thoughts
and words. Confess these things.
2. Ask God to show you areas of judgment in your life. Be specific as to who you judge and
what you think about them. Confess your pride, and ask God to give you a true understanding
of who they are as people made in His image.
3. Meditate on this truth that you are made in God’s image. What does this mean to you? What
is God asking of you in this regard?