Day 3

Scripture to Read: Romans 8

To be Jesus-centered, we must pray daily with passion and purpose. So, how do we do this and create an environment for others to do the same? We start by choosing to pray. Choosing to pray may sound simple, but with all of the distractions of our daily schedules, making this choice is never easy. Choosing to pray with passion and purpose means crucifying our fleshly desires (remember Galatians 5:17–24 from day one this week) so that we choose to love to pray. Martin Luther said many years ago, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Prayer should be just as natural to us as it is to breathe each day. Prayer breathes life into our souls as we grow in deep fellowship with our Heavenly Father through our Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit in us. We know Jesus loved to pray (Matthew 14:23, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16). Jesus knew that daily fellowship with our Heavenly Father was critical to each day’s plans. When we consider that our Lord Jesus Christ, while living on this earth had daily fellowship with our Heavenly Father, it shows why spending time in prayer is so critical for us each day. God tells us in Ephesians 6 that after we put on His full armor, we are still not ready for the battlefield of this life until we pray (Ephesians 6:18). So, devote yourself to pray today (Colossians 4:2), and don't miss what God has for you.

Challenge & Application

· What did you learn today about praying with passion and purpose that you did not know before? · How will you apply what God has taught you, and how will you share with others what God has taught you?

Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!

Devotionals from this week

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Day 1

This week our focus is on being “A Jesus-Centered Church.” As we begin our devotions, we need to remember that “the church” includes each local body of believers on the face of the earth. “The church” also consists of each member of God’s family, for we are Christ’s body, and He lives in us (1 Corinthians 3:16, 1 Corinthians 6:19–20). “The ch...

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Day 2

To be Jesus-centered in our lives and our church, we must choose to love God by abiding in Him. Jesus tells us in John 15:5; I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. As we mentioned in yesterday’s devotion, we must pursue our intimacy with Christ each day...

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Day 3

To be Jesus-centered, we must pray daily with passion and purpose. So, how do we do this and create an environment for others to do the same? We start by choosing to pray. Choosing to pray may sound simple, but with all of the distractions of our daily schedules, making this choice is never easy. Choosing to pray with passion and purpose mean...

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Day 4

Yesterday we began seeing why praying is critical to our lives. We also know that we often struggle with prayer. God tells us we struggle in Romans 8:26, In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. God levels with u...

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Day 5

Being a “Jesus-centered church” means that we must clearly understand “The Great Commission.” Jesus lays it out for us in Matthew 22:36–40, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him,“‘ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great a...

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Day 6

As we continue to examine what it means to be a Jesus-centered church, we must examine the foundation on which we stand. God tells us that there is only one foundation for our lives and the church. In 1 Corinthians 3:11, God’s Word says, For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. We know Christ is...

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Day 7

As we close out this week, God has shown us much about being a “Jesus-centered church” and about us being “Jesus-centered.” To be sure we each stand on the foundation of Christ, we must be doers of His Word and not just hearers. God tells us in James 1:22–25, But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves...

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