BIBLE READING
Forty Days of Prayer Day Seven
WEEK 1 - REAWAKENING TO THE GLORY OF CHRIST
During His Incarnation, the glory of Christ is often veiled, and we see His humility. But His glory has existed from eternity past and will continue into eternity future. Even during His Incarnation, His glory is seen from time to time. This week’s devotionals unpack various aspects of the glory of Christ so that we will find ourselves caught up in worship.
DAY SEVEN - THE EXALTATION OF CHRIST - MARY PETTY
Philippians 2:5-11
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The glorious, majestic One who was with the Father before the world existed emptied Himself so that He might rescue us from sin and restore us to God. As He labored in Gethsemane under the crushing weight of what He was about to endure on our behalf, He prayed for us. He asked that we would be one with each other, as He is one with the Father, so that the world might know that He is the Son of God. It is the commandment that He repeatedly gave us: love one another. The most evident way to display that love is by treating others as more important than ourselves.
Jesus didn’t just tell us to do this, He lived His life as the very example of sacrificial love. He had every right to assert Himself and claim His rightful place, but He flipped conventional wisdom on its head by going low in order to be high. We sing songs about wanting to see Jesus exalted and lifted high, and He loves and deserves the praises of our lips; but He is also glorified by the obedience of our lives. Let’s go low by loving one another well so that we might lift Him high; then, the world might smell the sweet fragrance of Christ in us!
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal places of pride and selfishness. Repent.
2. Ask the Father to grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the deep and intimate knowledge of Him so that you might catch a glimpse of His glorious majesty and brilliant beauty. It is as we gaze upon Him that He transfigures us into His image.
3. Thank Jesus for the freedom and privilege you have to speak His name with power and authority, the Name that is above every name!
Forty Days of Prayer Day Five
WEEK 1 - REAWAKENING TO THE GLORY OF CHRIST
During His Incarnation, the glory of Christ is often veiled, and we see His humility. But His glory has existed from eternity past and will continue into eternity future. Even during His Incarnation, His glory is seen from time to time. This week’s devotionals unpack various aspects of the glory of Christ so that we will find ourselves caught up in worship.
DAY FIVE- THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST - OMAR NIEBLES
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes,11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:9-11
Have you ever caught yourself just ‘standing around?’ At times, standing around is purpose- ful. You might be waiting for the bus or train. Perhaps you’re waiting for the person in front of you to place their order so that you can place yours. These few examples alone should be enough for you to recognize that this kind of standing around is not in vain.
But what about when you find yourself standing around in an emotional, mental, or spiritual state of paralysis? Life is happening all around you, and though you are physically moving, you feel . . . stuck. Again, I ask you, have you ever caught yourself ‘standing around?’
Two angels ask the disciples why they are standing and looking up toward the sky. Isn’t it obvious? They are staring up toward their hope. Jesus is leaving again; yet this time, no one is running or hiding for their lives. Jesus ascends to heaven, and though I would imagine the disciples experience a bit of grief, they also have hope. This is an example of actively standing and waiting. Their eyes are transfixed on their King who is leaving; but this time, He is leaving in victory, not breathing out His final breath on the cross. Their beholding will not be in vain—Jesus will one day return in the same way they saw Him ascend.
Our standing and waiting need not get in the way of our active participation of Jesus’ will for this world. The disciples beheld and got to work. We are challenged to do the same.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Pray that the Lord will reveal to you areas that you might be standing around and not trusting in the victory of Jesus Christ.
2. Are you lacking in beholding or in actively participating? Ask God to give you strength and wisdom to become an active participant.
3. What would change in your life if you truly believed He will return in the same way He ascended? Ask Jesus to grow your faith.
Forty Days of Prayer Day Four
WEEK 1 - REAWAKENING TO THE GLORY OF CHRIST
During His Incarnation, the glory of Christ is often veiled, and we see His humility. But His glory has existed from eternity past and will continue into eternity future. Even during His Incarnation, His glory is seen from time to time. This week’s devotionals unpack various aspects of the glory of Christ so that we will find ourselves caught up in worship.
DAY FOUR- THE TRANSFIGURATION OF CHRIST - TOM MYERS
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. 3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son,[a] with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only. Matthew 17:1-8
For over thirty years, Jesus lived a sinless life before God and mankind so that we could one day stand clothed before Him in the righteousness of His Son. Our sinless Savior never entertained a thought, never uttered a word, and never carried out an act that emerged from an impure or selfish motive. Jesus always obeyed and honored His Father in heaven as well as His father and mother on earth. He never stole, lied, or coveted. He never uttered a single word out of pride or sinful anger. He never gossiped, slandered, or deceived His neighbor. In other words, Jesus Christ submitted to every commandment of God. He loved His Father with all His heart, soul, strength, and mind, and He fully loved His neighbor as Himself.
In living this life of sinlessness as our representative, Jesus faced the same temptations and difficulties we face so that He might know and sympathize with our weaknesses and failures. He walked in our shoes, entered into our affliction, and then did the unthinkable by dying in our place.
When we hunger and thirst to know our Lord in a deeper and more intimate way, it is essen- tial for us to meditate on His glorious perfection. When we struggle with our own sin and failure, we must remember the sinless One who was obedient unto death in order to find true forgiveness, hope, and assurance in Him.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Picture yourself slowly climbing steep, uneven steps; meditate on entering the sacred space around Jesus.
2. Picture yourself bowing down before Him in all His majesty—or do it physically; be still and listen for at least five minutes.
3. Express your praise and worship of Him in all His deity.
Forty Days of Prayer Day Three
WEEK 1 - REAWAKENING TO THE GLORY OF CHRIST
During His Incarnation, the glory of Christ is often veiled, and we see His humility. But His glory has existed from eternity past and will continue into eternity future. Even during His Incarnation, His glory is seen from time to time. This week’s devotionals unpack various aspects of the glory of Christ so that we will find ourselves caught up in worship.
DAY THREE - THE SINLESSNESS OF CHRIST - TOM MYERS
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15
For over thirty years, Jesus lived a sinless life before God and mankind so that we could one day stand clothed before Him in the righteousness of His Son. Our sinless Savior never entertained a thought, never uttered a word, and never carried out an act that emerged from an impure or selfish motive. Jesus always obeyed and honored His Father in heaven as well as His father and mother on earth. He never stole, lied, or coveted. He never uttered a single word out of pride or sinful anger. He never gossiped, slandered, or deceived His neighbor. In other words, Jesus Christ submitted to every commandment of God. He loved His Father with all His heart, soul, strength, and mind, and He fully loved His neighbor as Himself.
In living this life of sinlessness as our representative, Jesus faced the same temptations and difficulties we face so that He might know and sympathize with our weaknesses and failures. He walked in our shoes, entered into our affliction, and then did the unthinkable by dying in our place.
When we hunger and thirst to know our Lord in a deeper and more intimate way, it is essen- tial for us to meditate on His glorious perfection. When we struggle with our own sin and failure, we must remember the sinless One who was obedient unto death in order to find true forgiveness, hope, and assurance in Him.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Picture yourself slowly climbing steep, uneven steps; meditate on entering the sacred space around Jesus.
2. Picture yourself bowing down before Him in all His majesty—or do it physically; be still and listen for at least five minutes.
3. Express your praise and worship of Him in all His deity.
Forty Days of Prayer Day Two
WEEK 1 - REAWAKENING TO THE GLORY OF CHRIST
During His Incarnation, the glory of Christ is often veiled, and we see His humility. But His glory has existed from eternity past and will continue into eternity future. Even during His Incarnation, His glory is seen from time to time. This week’s devotionals unpack various aspects of the glory of Christ so that we will find ourselves caught up in worship.
DAY TWO - THE DEITY OF CHRIST - JEN ASHBY
For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily Colossians 2:9
I have noticed that most church traditions tend to lean toward an emphasis on either God’s transcendence or His immanence. Like some of you, I have walked up the steps of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and the synagogue in Chorazin. The stairs there are purposefully steep and uneven to slow people down and cause them to consider the sacred space they are entering. But most Sundays, I walk into a church building without stairs, where you can grab a coffee and take it into the sanctuary and where most people are dressed casually and have come late.
In Colossians 2:8, Paul alludes to a heresy simmering in the church around the depreciation of Christ. In verse 9, he contrasts this heresy with a bold and vital truth, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form . . .” While it is right and good to recognize Christ’s immanence and accessibility, we are also to honor His transcendence and deity.
Make no mistake, He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15); in Him all things were created (1:16); and in Him all things hold together (1:17). We follow not merely a good teacher from Galilee but the Head of the Church (1:18), the first to be resurrected (1:20), and the Reconciler of all things (1:20–22).
What a difference this makes in how we approach Him, our posture before Him, our attitude toward His Word, and our lives of worship lived for Him.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Picture yourself slowly climbing steep, uneven steps; meditate on entering the sacred space around Jesus.
2. Picture yourself bowing down before Him in all His majesty—or do it physically; be still and listen for at least five minutes.
3. Express your praise and worship of Him in all His deity.
Forty Days of Prayer Day One
WEEK 1 - REAWAKENING TO THE GLORY OF CHRIST
During His Incarnation, the glory of Christ is often veiled, and we see His humility. But His glory has existed from eternity past and will continue into eternity future. Even during His Incarnation, His glory is seen from time to time. This week’s devotionals unpack various aspects of the glory of Christ so that we will find ourselves caught up in worship.
DAY ONE - THE ETERNALITY OF CHRIST - JOSE MARTINEZ
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be sruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Micah 5:2
This is the story of God’s love. A story in which the Heavenly Father stepped down into the limits of time, where a sweet, little visitor from heaven approached Bethlehem, a little town surrounded by crumbling walls.
The visitor was the baby in whom the greatness and glory of the Creator became a mere human. Throughout His life, the love of the Father took this visitor through the difficult trials of humanity. He experienced much pain, loneliness, and rejection. He was despised and cast out. But He was loved. Even more than that, He was love.
This visitor is also the Great Judge. He walked to the end of the road with the heavy weight of our guilt on His shoulders, ready to be humiliated, abandoned, slapped in the face, and rejected on a cross for our sake.
This humiliated visitor, resurrected and exalted, later regained control of all things, and as a tender shepherd, took care of His lambs and continues to do so. The greatness of His name leads us to the security of His eternal love that is safe and peaceful.
He came from eternity to humanity and back to eternity, making the great, if at all possible, greater still.
This is Jesus, our Lord. He is a great mystery—not fully understood, but believed and treasured by those who accept such a high-priced gift—unmerited, undeserved, and available only by grace though faith. He was brought by the Father to a decaying world that was and is in need of a touch from beyond time, from beyond humanity.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Ask the Lord to help you delight in the unfathomable reality of the Incarnation.
2. Pray that He will lead you to be thankful and worshipful.
3. Ask Him to guide you into a life worthy of such love.
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Bible Reading Plan - Week of December 27th
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, January 2nd.
Monday - Romans 7:21-8:11
Tuesday - John 16:1-15
Wednesday - Acts 22:1-21
Thursday - Acts 15:36-41 and 2 Timothy 4:1-22
Friday - John 21:1-19
Bible Reading Plan - December 20th
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, December 26th
Monday - Matthew 2:13-23
Tuesday - Exodus 3:1-22
Wednesday - Leviticus 19:9-18
Thursday - Ruth 2:1-23
Friday - Matthew 25:31-46
Bible Reading Plan - December 13th
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, December 19th
Monday - Luke 2:1-20
Tuesday - Micah 5:1-9
Wednesday - Psalm 148:1-14
Thursday - Psalm 103:1-22
Friday - Revelation 5:1-14
Bible Reading Plan - December 6th
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, December 12th
Monday - Matthew 1:1-17
Tuesday - Joshua 2:1-21 and 6:22-25
Wednesday - Ruth 4:1-22
Thursday - 2 Samuel 11:26-12:25
Friday - Hebrews 4:1-16
Bible Reading Plan - Week of November 29th
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, December 5th
Monday - Hebrews 10:1-14;
Tuesday - John 1:1-18
Wednesday - 1 John 1:1-2:2
Thursday - Isaiah 9:1-7
Friday - Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Bible Reading Plan - Week of November 22nd
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, November 28th
Monday - Revelation 7:9-17
Tuesday - Psalm 67:1-7
Wednesday - Psalm 72:1-20
Thursday - Colossians 3:1-17
Friday - Acts 11:19-26 and 13:1-3
Bible Reading Plan - Week of November 15th
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, November 21st
Monday - Matthew 28:16-20 and Acts 1:4-11
Tuesday - Colossians 4:1-18
Wednesday - 1 Peter 3:8-22
Thursday - 1 Corinthians 10:23-33
Friday - Romans 13:8-14
Bible Reading Plan - Week of November 8th
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, November 14th
Monday - Hebrews 10:19-39
Tuesday - Psalm 122:1-9
Wednesday - Revelation 21:1-27
Thursday - Luke 22:14-23
Friday - 1 Peter 2:1-10
Bible Reading Plan - Week of November 1st
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, November 7th
Monday - Genesis 2:18-3:13
Tuesday - Genesis 4:1-26
Wednesday - Ephesians 2:11-22
Thursday - Acts 15:1-29
Friday - Acts 21:26-22:16
Bible Reading Plan - Week of October 31st
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, October 24th
Monday - Genesis 1:26-2:25
Tuesday - Genesis 11:1-9
Wednesday - Philippians 2:1-11
Thursday - Acts 2:1-11 and 37-47
Friday - Hebrews 10:19-39
Bible Reading Plan - Week of October 18th
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, October 24th
Monday - Malachi 1:1-14
Tuesday - Malachi 2:1-17
Wednesday - Malachi 3:1-18
Thursday - Malachi 4:1-6 and Matthew 11:1-19
Friday - Mark 13:1-37
Bible Reading Plan - Week of October 11th
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, October 17th
Monday - Zechariah 6:1-15
Tuesday - Haggai 1:1-15
Wednesday - Haggai 2:1-23
Thursday - Zechariah 12:1-14
Friday - John 19:16-37
Bible Reading Plan - Week of October 4th
These passages will prepare you for this week’s sermon which will be preached on Sunday, October 10th
Monday - Habakkuk 1:1-2:5
Tuesday - Psalm 10:1-18
Wednesday - Jeremiah 12:1-17
Thursday - Isaiah 52:13-53:12
Friday - Matthew 5:38-48