Going Deeper
Weekly Devotionals based off of the Sunday Message
If you were with us this past Sunday that is awesome, but for us to really grow, learning more about God, His word, and even ourselves, we need to go deeper than just listening to a message on Sunday. Below is a 5 day devotional schedule that you can follow that will help bring the message alive in a greater way. Just a couple minutes a day, rereading the Bible passage and answering the two questions posed each day, and you will Go Deeper.
Going Deeper
Devotional Guide
Message: Neighborhood Series Week 5
Being A People of Focus
September 26th - 30th
Colossians 3:1-17
This week we finished up our series Neighborhood: Building Community Outside of These Walls and the message centered on becoming a “people of focus.” But what does that have to do with our spiritual walks with Jesus? In fact, it has everything to do with it, because there are so many things trying to distract us from being the kind of people that Jesus gave His life for us to become. In fact, the very nature of sin is that it is a force that takes us away from God’s will and His design for things and leads us to do things in opposition to Him.
We focused on Paul’s letter to the Colossians in Chapter 3.
Colossians 3:1-17
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Devotional Questions
Monday
Simply use this day to reread the passage three times and spend some time in prayer asking God to open your ears to what the words are saying. This will prepare you for the remaining day’s devotions.
Tuesday
1) If we have truly been “raised with Christ” why do we have to “set our hearts on things above? Why doesn’t our relationship with Jesus automatically do that?
2) Are there things you are focused on in your life right now that wouldn’t qualify as “things that are above”? Take some time in prayer and confess those areas.
Wednesday
1) “Put to death, therefore …” is a statement that puts a lot of the responsibility on our shoulders. We so often promote Jesus as the one doing all the heavy lifting in today’s Christian worldview. Why is Paul putting so much of the responsibility on us?
2) Maybe you don’t have things from Paul’s list that apply to you, but what things in your Spirit do you know you need to put to death. List those out
Thursday
Today I urge you to focus on the list you made yesterday. Pray the prayer that we are encouraged to do in 1 John 1:9, that if we “confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” Simply spend time today, confessing those areas that are needing to be “put to death.”
Friday
Reread the whole passage above 2 more times and write out two action steps you are going to commit too for the next week.
Action Step 1 ________________________________________________________________
Action Step 2 ________________________________________________________________
