Take some time today to journal and reflect on the following questions:
In what ways have you seen God at work within you this week? Within your family? Within others you may interact with?
In what ways have you resisted God’s word within you this week?
Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.
Matthew 10:38-39 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
Matthew 10 concludes with Jesus sharing a theme that was common throughout His ministry: those who follow Me will need to give up everything they think is important and instead commit to what matters most. Throughout His ministry, some heard this teaching and walked away. They wanted to continue to live and enjoy the things they thought were important. But others were all in, accepting Jesus’ invitation to begin to see God, others, the world, and even themselves in a completely different light. Oddly, their lives didn’t become any easier to live – it was complete opposite! But by committing to following Christ, they came to experience love, joy, peace, and contentment in profound ways.
Today, Jesus’ invitation continues to be offered to all. We each must choose whether we are truly willing to give up everything we think is important and begin to see God, others, the world, and even ourselves in a different light.
READING & PRAYERS:
MATTHEW 10:32-42 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)
QUESTION: Is there anything you are unwilling to give up (or struggle to give up) in order to be more deeply rooted in Christ?
REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Take the opportunity to write down how you have spent your time each day over the previous week. Is there anything listed you’re holding onto which God may be inviting you to let go of?
Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, today I recognize that my unwillingness to let go of certain things ultimately does violence to my heart and soul. But following you brings healing, joy, and contentment to my heart and soul. May this truth stick with me today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Matthew 10:19 When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time.
The one command Jesus communicated more than any other was, “Don’t be afraid.” When Jesus sent out His disciples He didn’t sugarcoat what they would experience. But He also assured them that there was no reason to be afraid.
In our own lives, we are often afraid of what might happen. Each and every day we have thoughts of, “What if…” enter into our minds. What if my spouse or child are in a terrible car accident? What if I lose my job? What if my sales report is low again this quarter? What if my landlord requires us to move out because we’re short on rent…again. What if…?
This worst-case scenario way of thinking creates tension and anxiety and isn’t good for our souls. Jesus sent out His disciples saying, “These things will happen…but don’t worry about how to respond or what to say.” The principle is clear: we can experience peace and contentment no matter the circumstances we’re facing.
READING & PRAYERS:
MATTHEW 10:10-31 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)
QUESTION: Do you have any ongoing “what if…” thoughts that are preventing you from experiencing lasting peace and contentment in your life? How may Jesus be inviting you to hand those thoughts over to Him so you can “be not afraid”?
REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Write down a list of 5-10 things that help you experience peace and contentment in life. Then make a plan to make these things part of your regular routing in the weeks to come.
Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I recognize there are times when I get caught in a mental battle and can only think of the worst-case scenario. Today, may I rest in you, knowing that no matter the circumstances, I need not be afraid. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Matthew 10:16 “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.”
When Jesus sent out His twelve disciples, He didn’t give any illusions to what they would be up against. This certainly wasn’t going to be a cakewalk. They would experience:
Evil spirits, every disease and illness (10:1)
The “lost sheep” of Israel (10:6)
The sick, dying, dead, leprous, and demon possessed (10:8)
A lifestyle with no food, money, or possessions (10:9-10)
People who would welcome them, and people who would not (10:11-14)
The physical pain and humiliation of being flogged and whipped (10:17)
The text doesn’t provide any indication that Jesus’ disciples hesitated, but you can imagine them standing in a circle and subtly looking around at the others while thinking, Are we seriously going to do this? But Jesus provided one additional piece of wisdom for what they were about to experience.
“Be as shrewd as snakes and as harmless as doves.”
READING & PRAYERS:
MATTHEW 10:5-25(also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)
QUESTION: How would being “as shrewd as snakes and as harmless as doves” be good advice for Jesus’ disciples? In what ways may it be good wisdom for the things you experience as a follower of Jesus? Be specific.
REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Practice breath prayers throughout the day. Breathe in with the first part of the prayer, then exhale with the second. Some examples include: “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me, a sinner.” “Speak Lord, I am listening.” “You are the potter, I am the clay.” “Peace. Be still.”
Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess that I am sometimes too shrewd without being as gentle as a dove, or I am too gentle and gracious and gloss over important truths. Continue to help me maintain a healthy balance of both grace and truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Matthew 10:5-7 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Jesus’ twelve closest friends didn’t begin adulthood with the understanding that they would be invited to deliver a message that would literally transform the world. They had been passed over by the most educated scholars of their day. They would’ve been told things like, “Sorry, but you just don’t have what it takes to continue your education. Your test scores just aren’t quite good enough.” So they took on a career as fisherman, tax collectors, accountants, or some other role.
Then this Rabbi (teacher) named Jesus shows up and invites them to follow Him. After beginning a career in something else, this teacher says, “I see something remarkable in you. I will show you that are more than good enough, you were made for this.”
They were entering into unknown territory. But with a Rabbi believing the best of them, they accepted His invitation.
READING & PRAYERS:
MATTHEW 10:1-8(also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)
QUESTION: What are some ways in which you have been passed over or told you’re not quite good enough for something? How does it make you feel that the God of the universe invites you to follow Him?
REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Spend a few moments in prayer asking God to reveal to you something He may be inviting you to do today (or this week). Write down what it is, and begin to live it out.
Take a Step: This week, continue to utilize the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily to begin practicing being with God and resting in His presence. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices. See pauseapp.com for details.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, today I am grateful for the reminder that Jesus was most impressed with unimpressive people. Continue to reveal to me the joy and wonder you have instilled deep within me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
1 Samuel 30:24 (CJB) “…the share of someone who stays with the equipment will be the same as the share of someone who goes out and fights—they will share equally.”
Shortly before becoming king of Judah, David was faced with a challenge. Some of his soldiers had battled the enemy and taken plunder as a result of their victory. But a handful of the soldiers didn’t want to share the wealth with other soldiers who weren’t part of the battle. David intervened and said that every soldier would receive an equal share, no matter what role they filled. To us, this may seem unfair. Shouldn’t those who did the dirty work get more? But the principle being taught here is vitally important in the Christian faith.
As an example, every follower of Jesus has spiritual gifts. Some may look at the gifts and talents of others and envy them, believing the lie that their life would be better if they had somebody else’s gifts. But in the new family of Jesus, every member of the family has something worthy to contribute. Those who serve by cleaning the bathrooms aren’t worse off from those teaching or leading from the stage. Don’t live by wishing you had somebody else’s gifts. Embrace your role.
READING & PRAYERS:
ACTS 6:1-7(also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)
QUESTION: Acts 6:1-7 focuses on the importance of roles and gifting. What are some specific ways in which the Word of God was better taught and practiced in this story?
REAL LIFE PRACTICE: If you don’t know your spiritual gifts, ask a few people close to you what gifts they see within you. Begin praying about how God may work through you in these giftings for the benefit of His church.
Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I know deep down that You have a specific purpose and plan for my life, but I sometimes struggle with knowing exactly what that purpose is. Continue to reveal within me the calling You have for my life and reveal to me the gifts of grace You have instilled within me to fulfill this purpose. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Matthew 22:37-40 “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
All throughout the Gospels we read story after story of Jesus’ interactions with people. He invited those who were outcasts to sit at the dinner table with Him, which in Jewish culture was a symbol of friendship. He spent time with those who were never “good enough” for the religious leaders of His day. Today, we look back on the life and ministry of Jesus and recognize that He had the single greatest impact on people in the history of the world. How did he do it? By loving people.
While leadership can be defined in many ways, Jesus demonstrated that real leadership begins by loving people. It begins by recognizing that every person is sacred, valued, and worthy of love. Ministry leaders today may look at attendance numbers as the ultimate marker for the success of their church. But for Jesus, real success in leadership is revealed by our love for people.
READING & PRAYERS:
LUKE 10:25-37(also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)
QUESTION: In the parable of the Good Samaritan, there were some who chose not to see the injured man by the road. Are there any people you have been taught not to see? How can you grow as a leader who truly sees them?
REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Pay close attention to any person (or group of people) you regularly ignore or turn away from. Today, instead of turning from them, turn toward them. Pray for them. Maybe even pray with them.
Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess I don’t like to think about who I sometimes ignore and look away from. Today, may I not turn away from anybody, but I may turn toward everybody I see. May they see You in me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Romans 12:2 …let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
As a pastor, there’s one question I (Justin) dwell on regularly. It’s a simple question, but one churches, pastors, and theologians have wrestled with with centuries. The question: How do people grow?
Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple one-size-fits-all answer to the question. But there are some important principles which apply to every follower of Jesus.
One of those principles is to understand that information (book knowledge, podcasts, teachings, etc.) may be part of the process but it can only take you so far. There are some smart people in the world who make very unwise decisions.
Similarly, many turn to inspiration. We’ll watch the inspiring sports movie or [incorrectly] quote passages such as “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” thinking if we are inspired enough, we will grow. But this, too, falls short.
Real growth requires transformation. And transformation occurs by changing how you think about God, yourself, and others.
READING & PRAYERS:
ROMANS 12:2 (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)
QUESTION: Author Peter Scazzero regularly says, “The state you are in is the state you bring to others.” What is one area of your life you know needs to experience deep transformation in order for you to bring a healthier version of yourself to those around you? What steps do you need to implement (daily) so you can begin to experience transformation in this area of your life?
REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Many people fail because they try to do too much too fast. Today, begin keeping track of one thing you can do to experience transformation in an area of your life. Keep taking that step every day for the next month, and then consider another step.
Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.
Matthew 20:26-28 “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant… For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
If you were to walk into a book store or search on Amazon for books on the topic of Leadership, you would find hundreds, perhaps thousands of books on how to be a better leader. The unfortunate reality, however, is that each of these books defines Leadership differently. Similarly, if you ask 100 people to write “A leader is ___________” each one would say something different. Sure, there would be some similarities. But there would not be an overwhelming consensus on what exactly a leader is or does.
One of the similarities common in our modern culture is that a leader is somebody who has the authority to make decisions. A leader is somebody with power and influence within an organization or a group of people. But Jesus completely flipped this idea on its head. Leading in the new family of Jesus is about serving others first, not having authority or power over them.
QUESTION: What is something you can do today to lead others by serving them and giving of yourself for their benefit?
REAL LIFE PRACTICE: Take the opportunity today to do something for others you don’t normally do. Give of your time and energy without any expectations of thanks or rewards.
Take a Step: This week, continue to utilize the One Minute Pause app at least twice daily to begin practicing being with God and resting in His presence. The app is free, and is available on iPhone and Android devices. See pauseapp.com for details.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, today I am grateful for the reminder that true leadership begins and ends with loving and serving others. As such, I pray that You would instill within me a tremendous amount of leadership abilities. Teach me to continually reveal to others the love and grace You continually reveal to me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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