Daily Devotions – Week #1
Week #1 of Living for Jesus
Three Weeks of Personal Spiritual Formation to Become a Disciple of Christ
Day #1
Read Ephesians 2:1-22
Suggested Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank you for giving me new life. I thank you that you have taken away my sins. I thank you for forgiving me for all that I’ve done that displeased you. I thank you for the opportunity to start over. I thank you that I have the privilege of beginning a new life. I thank you that you have given me the gift of salvation. I thank you that because Jesus died for my sins, they are removed from me as far as the east is from the west. I thank you that I am now part of your family. I thank you that you have made me a child of God. I thank you that even though I was far from you, that you brought me close, that you accepted me, that Jesus’ blood cleanses me from all sin, and that I belong to you.
Lord, this is a new life for me. I need your help to live as I should live. I pray for strength for this day. Guide my steps. Keep me from temptation. Help me to please you in what I say, in where I go, and in what I do. Help my thoughts to be what you would want. Keep me pure.
I pray for my family…I pray for my co-workers…I pray for my friends…I pray that I can be a blessing to everyone I meet today. Help me to show them what it is like to be one of your followers.
Thank you, Lord, for all that I have. I know it comes from you. Give me what I need, and make me a grateful person. I praise you for all of these blessings. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Memorize: Ephesians 2:8,9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Read Chapter 1 in Living for Christ
Day #2
Read Ephesians 4:17-32
Suggested Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank you for the opportunity to pray. I know you are a holy God. I am not worthy of all of your blessings. But I thank you that you have made me part of your family. I thank you again for coming into my heart and being my Lord and my Savior. I thank you that you have given me a new life.
Lord, help me to do what your Word says. I want to put off the old life. I want to live a new way. I want to put away any lies and speak only the truth. I want to put away anger from my spirit. I want to be honest and not steal. I want to be trustworthy and generous. I want my words to be clean and wholesome, not corrupt and degrading. Don’t let me grieve your Holy Spirit, who is in my heart. Don’t let me be bitter, but forgiving. Lord, I do forgive others who may have wronged me. I forgive those who have taken advantage of me. I forgive those who have abused me. Because you have forgiven me, I forgive them.
I pray for my family…I pray for my friends…I pray for people who may have made my life difficult…I pray that I will be a friend to others. This is a new way to live. Give me your strength to be a true follower of Jesus today.
I love you, Lord, and thank you again for all of your blessings to me.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Memorize: Ephesians 2:8,9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Read Chapter 2 in Living for Christ
Day #3
Read Psalm 1 (this is a short psalm, and particularly the first three verses, are worth memorizing. If you spend five minutes practicing memorizing, you will be surprised how much you will retain. Plus, God’s word in your heart is a powerful aid to you. “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Ps. 119:11)
Suggested Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I am so blessed to call you my Father and be part of your family. I thank you again for taking away my sins, and making me one of your own.
Lord, I want your blessing in my life. Help me to walk, not by the counsel of people of the world, but by the counsel of your Word. Help me to stand, not by the things other people stand on like their money or their reputations, but by your grace. Help me to avoid any but a humble attitude. Keep me from being scornful of others, even if they are foolish and proud in their unbelief. I only stand by your grace. I only walk in the path of your footsteps. I only sit at your feet and wait for you to lead me. Help me to keep your law in my heart. I am grateful for this new way of living.
Today again I pray for my loved ones…I pray for my friends…I pray for my enemies… I pray that as I come in contact with people that they would see Jesus in me.
Thank you for your great promises and for your great love to me.
I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Memorize: Ephesians 2:8,9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Read Chapter 3 in Living for Christ
Day #4
Read: Ephesians 5:1-20
Suggested Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank you that you care about me. I thank you that you call me one of your dear children. Thank you that Jesus Christ loved me enough to give his life for me. Help me to truly love others with that kind of love. But keep me from that which would be harmful: keep me from immorality, from being dirty in my mind and heart. Keep me from telling or laughing at filthy jokes or stories. Help me to focus on good things, like being thankful to you. I want to keep my place in your family. I don’t want to go back to the old life. Thank you again for forgiving my sins and making me a new person. Help me to walk in your light, not in evil darkness.
Lord, I can’t live like a Christian by my own strength. Please give me your daily power to live this new life. Fill me with your Holy Spirit and give me a new song to sing.
I pray for my family…I pray for my friends…I pray for those who don’t understand this new way of life…I pray that I would be a blessing.
I thank you, Heavenly Father, for all of your great blessings to me.
I pray this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Memorize: Ephesians 2:8,9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Read: Chapter 4 in Living for Christ
Day #5
Read: 1 Corinthians 6:9-20
Suggested Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you are the holy God and your name is holy. I thank you that you have saved me from my sins. You have washed me, and have made me clean. I thank you that because of Jesus, you declare me righteous. I couldn’t do this on my own. I could never have made myself clean. Thank you that you have changed me.
Lord, I thank you that my body is your temple. You live in me. Help me to glorify you in my body. Keep me from sexual sins. Keep me pure in my relationships. Guard my heart and my imagination. I need you to give me strength every day. I want to glorify Jesus in every aspect of my life. Help me to run from any compromise. Thank you that you accept me because of Jesus, and that you will live in me. Make and keep me pure in my heart and mind.
I pray for my family…I pray for my friends…I pray for my new family-the family of God that I have become part of. Thank you for helping me in so many ways.
I pray this in the name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.
Memorize: Ephesians 2:8,9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Read: Chapter 5 in Living for Christ
Day #6
Read: Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-9
Suggested Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you are holy and awesome, and your name is holy. Thank you for calling me while I was away from you. Thank you for showing me that I need you and your salvation. Thank you for forgiveness of sin, and for the new life I have in you. I need your grace to live as I should.
Lord, show me how to show love for others. Show me how to love my family. Help me to live in respect to those in authority. Help me to honor those I need to honor. Help me to have a humble spirit. Keep me from pride that leads to conflict. Give me wisdom to help those I can help. Give me grace to receive help when someone has it to give to me. Help me to treat people like I want to be treated, and help me to realize that when I serve others as a Christian, I am serving the Lord Jesus Christ.
I pray for my family… I pray for those I work with…I pray for the leaders of our nation…I pray for those who may be hard to love. And I pray for your strength to help me in my weakness.
This I pray, in thanksgiving, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Memorize: Ephesians 2:8,9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Read: Chapter 6 in Living for Christ
Day #7
Read: Colossians 3:1-17
Suggested Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I thank you that you have lifted me up out of the pit of sin and put me on a solid rock. Help me to put my heart into the things that are lasting. Help me to remember that I am dead to the old sinful life. I am living a new life in Christ. Thank you for helping me to follow you. I need you today.
Lord, don’t allow me to fall to temptation. I am unable to live without your power. There are many things that could distract me, or cause me to fall. I commit these to you. Help all of my thoughts to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Guard my speech and my reactions. Help me to be truthful and helpful, and may I be a peacemaker in times of conflict. Help me to bear with people who may make life difficult. Lord Jesus, keep me in your ways.
I pray for my family…I pray for those I work with…I pray for people in authority.
I thank you for your strength that will help me today.
This I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Memorize: Ephesians 2:8,9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Read: Chapter 7 in Living for Christ