Join us in a 21-day prayer emphasis leading up to Easter!
I have given them the glory You have given Me. May they be one as We are one. I am in them and You are in Me. May they be made completely one, so the world may know You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me. – John 17:22-23 (HCSB)
Reflection
At the heart of this prayer lies the truth that God’s church is an extension and continuation of the life of Jesus in this world.
Prayer
God, my heart will settle for nothing less than living in the ever-present reality of Your love and Your life inside me today.
He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. – Colossians 1:17-18 (NASB)
REFLECTION
Jesus is the architect and director of His church. Not a pastor, not an elder, not a deacon. In addition to the Bible, Jesus speaks through His Holy Spirit. Allow him to guide you in setting a personal example of God’s design in your life.
Prayer
God, thank you that we are not wandering around on our own trying to do church. You are the director of my life and my community.
This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out. – Matthew 16:18 (MSG)
reflection
Jesus intends for His church to be, “expansive with energy,” explosive with life and transforming power. His church is so potent with divine intent that the opposition of hell is no contest. This is His primary statement on the quality of life that He intends for His church.
Prayer
God, enlarge my understanding of the vastness of Your goodness and power to operate through Your church.
You are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. – Ephesians 2:19-21 (NKJV)
reflection
The church becomes a “temple,” a place where Jesus shows up and His presence is experienced. It’s a place where the broken are healed; a place of comfort, encouragement and intimate fellowship; a place that makes a difference by drawing and restoring people hungry for meaning and hungry for love.
Prayer
God, build my life and my community into Your blueprint, into Your beautiful plan for what church is meant to be.
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. – I Corinthians 3:10-11 (NIV)
Reflection
The church comes into the beauty of God’s intention only within a context of teamwork. You have a role in building the church. Through your own foundational relationship with Jesus, you can bring your unique set of gifts and abilities into your community to serve others. Leadership is serving, and anyone can serve, even if you start by inviting someone to church.
Prayer
God, help me to see myself the way You see me: a builder in your house, as a part of your team, building the house of God.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. – Ephesians 4:11-12 (NIV)
REFLECTION
The body of Christ has to be built. A church isn’t created by constructing a physical building or by hiring a pastor or even by having lots of members. A body is built when each part of it finds its proper place and function. So, what’s your role? To be equipped and to help equip others. Expect God to use you. Don’t enter church as a spectator or a consumer. You’re not a bench warmer—you’re a key player!
Prayer
God, I know you have placed gifts and abilities inside me that are meant to serve others. I’m ready to be a key player for you.
I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. – John 17:14-16 (NASB)
reflection
The task is not an easy one: Reconciling men and women with their Creator and Lord. Knowing the challenges better than any other, Jesus gives us a defining identity: “You are my ambassadors. You will work inside this fallen world, but you will be distinctly different from it.”
Prayer
God, I receive this identity for myself: I am sent. I am kept by You. I operate in this world, but I am not owned by it.
Then Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that you are extremely religious in every respect. For as I was passing through and observing the objects of your worship, I even found an altar on which was inscribed: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. – Acts 17:22-23 (HCSB)
reflection
Relevance means understanding the culture and mind-set of the people you are inviting to know Christ. Relevance means finding creative connections into people’s psyches. Paul did this with the altar of the unknown god. He capitalized on their hunger for reconciliation with the divine. Your ability to connect with others for the Kingdom is not based on your Bible knowledge but your compassion.
Prayer
God, help me to love others as you do and to pay attention to the unspoken cry of their hearts so I can introduce them to you.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. – Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)
Reflection
There is no country, no language, no American subculture where Jesus is not relevant. The challenge and the opportunity is to make the connection effectively. This calls for wisdom. It begins with knowing Jesus really well.
Prayer
I want to know you, God, and the depths of your love more thoroughly and convincingly every day of my life.
I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. – I Corinthians 9:22 (MSG)
REFLECTION
In this generation, the value of relationship exceeds the value placed on truth. God values both. This is the opportunity to go broad and deep in your relationships, knowing that God will open up divine opportunities for conveying His truth in authentic ways.
Prayer
Increase my genuine love for people, God. Help me to never exceed in truth where I am willing to go in relationship.
You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? – Matthew 5:13 (NLT)
reflection
If your life isn’t salty, if it doesn’t invite curiosity and arouse people’s spiritual appetites, then something is fundamentally broken. Ask yourself whether you’re being true to your spiritual identity.
Prayer
God, I want to live true to who you have made me to be. Let this be evidenced by hunger and thirst from those around my life.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. – Psalm 147:3 (NIV)
reflection
Sometimes your healing is tied to your forgiveness—to your forgiving others who have sinned against you. If you can think of any resentments hanging around, deal with them today through forgiveness.
Prayer
God, I receive your power to heal my heart as well as my body. Now make me someone who can bring your healing to others.
So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they were driving out many demons, anointing many sick people with olive oil, and healing them. – Mark 6:12-13 (HCSB)
Reflection
Jesus’ disciples are given authority over all the works of the enemy. You and I are included in the group of Jesus’ disciples. As you bring the love of Jesus to people you meet today, some may be crushed by guilt, some tormented by demons, some need healing from sickness. God will use you to bring hope.
Prayer
I will be an instrument of liberation for people today, God. Through your power, I will lead them to repentance, freedom and health.
Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. – Psalm 119:5-8 (MSG)
REFLECTION
It can be a challenge to hear God in the midst of the “head noise” of your own anxiety and other voices. It takes patience and skills developed over time. The psalmist here admits to “missing it,” but because his heart was set upon God over the long haul, he lived a life of few regrets.
Prayer
Hear my heart’s cry, God. Keep me from missing the mark and sustain me when I do so that I can return to the source of wisdom.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. – Psalm 73:24-25 (NIV)
reflection
You can trust the Father’s heart to guide you with good counsel in the perplexing circumstances you face. God’s counsel directs the rebellion, and His counsel will direct your life.
Prayer
You are the center, the target of my life, God. I look for your wise counsel in the decisions I’ll make today. Open my ears to hear.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. – II Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)
reflection
God’s intent for your life is to be a channel of comfort and compassion, giving out generously to others. What qualifies you to minister to others is having received that ministry from God yourself. In our world, you will have unending opportunity to compassionately care for others.
Prayer
Thank you for your kindness and compassion that is so rich to me, God. Now help me be a source of your care for others.
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. – Psalm 86:15 (NIV)
Reflection
Can you care for people who hurt you? Can you look beyond people’s obnoxiousness or selfishness and see their needs? You are most like Christ when you overlook personal injury and offense, and reach out in grace and compassion. Love looks past the cost to the opportunity.
Prayer
Give me your perspective, God, so that I can see what you want to do in other people and then partner with you to bring people to you.
“The Lord bless him!” Naomi said to her daughter-in-law. “He has not stopped showing his kindness to the living and the dead.” – Ruth 2:20 (NIV)
REFLECTION
Ruth found compassion from a landowner who provided for her. Compassion opens up avenues for the purpose of God in your life. When you move in God’s character, you begin to reap God’s reward. How might God use you today to amplify his expression of kindness to those around you? Will you open up doors of destiny for them?
Prayer
Here I am, God. Release your loving compassion in my soul, let me feel what you feel and open up Kingdom opportunities today.
Bless the Lord, all you His angels, you who serve Him, doing His will. Bless the Lord, all you works of His, in all places of His dominion; bless the Lord, my soul! – Psalm103:21-22 (NASB)
reflection
In the heart of God, serving is always the pathway to true freedom. Blessing the Lord with your mouth is organically connected to serving him with your feet. They are, in fact, one in the same action. Expressed in two different but essential manifestations.
Prayer
God, let the praises of my mouth be consistent with the love that flows from my life in serving others practically.
For you were called to be free, brothers; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. – Galatians 5:13 (HCSB)
reflection
Freedom of the soul is one thing every human heart most longs for. Freedom from addictions, wrong motives, lying, fear, etc. Jesus purchased your freedom. He served you through his love to empower you to serve others through that same heavenly love. Your liberation from sin enables you to love like there’s no tomorrow.
Serving flows naturally from a ransomed heart. The motivation of love and gratitude moves you to give others what’s been given to you.
Serving flows naturally from a ransomed heart. The motivation of love and gratitude moves you to give others what’s been given to you.
Prayer
God, thank you for being the ultimate servant and setting my longing heart free. Help me today to express your power expansively to others and help set them free.
God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. – Colossians 2:13-14 (NIV)
Reflection
The same power that raised Christ from the dead also lives inside of each and every one of us. And that power wipes our debt clean, leaving us justified, or just as if we had never sinned. Like the scripture says, it’s nailed to the cross. So, let’s tell every single person we know about this great news!
Prayer
God, help me to access the power that is available from you to invite people into the only thing that can change their life, a relationship with you. Help people to receive salvation and see that their sins have been nailed to the cross.
We’d love to have you join us at Calvary this Easter! Check out our Easter service options today and celebrate with us!