YIC: D 30 of 30 Pray Without Ceasing

If you have a cell phone, then you have probably had a dropped call before. You're in the middle of a conversation and you're carrying on about your day, only to find out that no one is on the other end, listening. You start repeating the question, "Can you hear me now?" trying to get the conversation back.

Thankfully, God never drops your prayers. God cares about you deeply. He will always have the time to listen to what you have to say - even if it's something silly or small. If you're in Christ, then God hears you. Always.

This explains why the Bible tells us to pray "without ceasing". That is, to pray anytime, about anything, anywhere. In Christ, God is your Father, and you should talk to Him regularly, not because you have to, but because you get to.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:17

How are we to pray?

What does it mean to pray without ceasing? What does it not mean?

Prayer

Thank God that you are able to pray anytime, anywhere, and about anything.

This devotion is excerpted from the Who Do You Think You Are? Study Guides with Daily Devotions resource by Pastor Mark Driscoll at Mars Hill Church. Get more devotionals and resources at www.marshill.com.

I Thessalonians 5:16-19 NKJV

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

19 Do not quench the Spirit.

YIC: D 29 OF 30 The Power At Work Within Us

Do you believe deep down in your gut that God can do more than you ask or imagine? What do your prayers reveal about your trust in God? Do you pray as big as your Father?

Not only is our all-powerful, crazy-generous God at work, He is "at work within us." And God's power working in us gives us hope.

In Ephesians, Paul modeled prayer that expects God to continue working in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. In light of God's power at work in us, we should pray expecting to be heard, if we pray within God's Will.

Read Ephesians 3:20-21

What is God able to do?

How is God able to accomplish this?

What do your prayers reveal that God is able to do?

Prayer

Ask God to enlarge your vision of Him and show you that He is able to do far more than you could ever think or imagine.

Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

YIC: D 28 of 30 Do You Really Believe Jesus Loves You?

Jesus loves you. How do you feel when you read that? Do you doubt it because you're suffering? Do you disbelieve it because there's great sin in your life? Do you dismiss it because you're so busy with life that you don't have time to think about it?

If so, then remember the prayer Paul prayed for the church, saying:

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

In praying this prayer, Paul didn't doubt that God loves His people, but He did doubt that they truly knew it, really believed it, and were experiencing it. Many Christians today know God loves them, but they know it like someone who takes a driver's education class but never drives a car.

Paul wanted the love of God, like a plant rooted deeply in nourishment and able to flourish, to be a deep root in people's souls. He wanted the church to know that God's love is wide enough to welcome anyone, long enough to stretch from the beginning to the end of time, deep enough to reach down to the worst of sinners, and high enough to transport us to God's heavenly kingdom.

Read Ephesians 3:17-19

Why did Paul pray for the church to be rooted and grounded in love?

Why would Paul want to pray such a prayer for Christians?

Prayer

Pray Ephesians 3:17-19 forans 3:17-19

Ephesians 3:17-19 NKJV

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

YIC: D 26 of 30

When was the last time you were discouraged? Was it when you performed poorly on an exam and got a bad grade? Did you make a mistake in a game that caused your team to lose?

All of us are discouraged at some point. There will be a time in your life that you will be discouraged, in school, sports, hobbies, and even your friendships. When it comes, you'll be tempted to give up and quit caring.

You'll even be discouraged in your pursuit of Jesus. There will be a time when you'¢ll be tempted to quit caring about living for Him.

When this happens, you'll feel guilty and ashamed, as if you're the only one who ever felt that way. You're not. Even Jesus Christ was tempted to give up.

Before enduring horrendous pain and suffering, Jesus was discouraged. He was tempted to not go through the agony of the cross. Thankfully Jesus didn't give up. He had you and me in mind. He knew that he had come to save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21).

Even though following Jesus Christ doesn't mean that your life will be easy and pain free, trusting in Jesus, who suffered for you, will empower you to endure any level of suffering you experience.

Jesus didn't give up on you. He endured suffering to the point of losing His life for you. Since Jesus persevered and kept pushing through, in Christ we, too, can persevere and continue our pursuit of Jesus when we suffer.

Read Ephesians 3:1-13

How do Paul-s words to the Ephesians take on new meaning when you realize that Paul was most likely lying on a cold floor in the dark with an aching body from repeated beatings in prison? What do you believe is the secret to avoiding discouragement, bitterness, unbelief, and anger while suffering?

Prayer

Ask for God's grace to help you and your family to not lose heart in the middle of any suffering or affliction.

Ephesians 3:1-13 NKJV

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles—
2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you,
3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,
4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),
5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets:
6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel,
7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.

Purpose of the Mystery

8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,
11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
13 Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

YIC: D 25 of 30 You Are Not Of This World

Being a Christian isn't easy. If you are a Christian, there will be times in your life that are hard. People will make fun of you, think less of you, or even verbally and physically assault you, just because you're a Christian. As a Christian, you should expect to experience some level of suffering in your life.

We worship a God who came to earth and was afflicted. Jesus experienced a great deal of suffering. He was wrongfully arrested, beaten, verbally assaulted, tortured, and made to carry the very wooden cross to which He would be nailed, to die for you and me.

Not only has Jesus suffered - so, too, have those who have faithfully served him throughout history. Even today, thousands of people around the world will die martyrs' deaths for their faith in Jesus Christ.

In spite of the pain and suffering these martyrs endured, they lived for Jesus, because Jesus lives.

Read John 15:18-21

Did the world love or hate Jesus?

Should we expect the world to love our beliefs and us?

Have you ever experienced any negative reactions from others because you identified yourself as a Christian? How did you respond?

Prayer

Thank Jesus that He suffered and died for your sin. Ask for God's grace to help you face affliction in your life for your faith in Jesus.

John 15:18-21 NKJV

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

YIC: D 24 of 30 A Slave Trader Who Found New Hope

'I once was lost but now am found.' These are the words John Newton penned for "Amazing Grace."

During the earlier years of his life, Newton spent time in the slave trade. But one day, Newton realized that he was lost, without a savior and without hope.

God was gracious and merciful to him. Despite his deep sin, God saved Newton and gave him a new hope in life. It was a hope not based on how much money or stuff he had, but rather a hope found in Jesus - one that will never fade away.

Like Newton, apart from faith in Christ we have "no hope and [are] without God in the world" (Eph. 2:12).

Apart from Christ, you are farther from God than you feared. In Christ, you are nearer to God than you hoped. Through faith in the truth about who God is and who h\He's made you to be, you're reconciled to God in Christ.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:18-21

What did God do for us through Jesus?

What ministry did God give us? How do we fulfill this ministry?

How are you and your family doing with the ministry of reconciliation?

Are you not reconciled with anybody? If you are, pray about what a way to reconciliation would look like and ask the Holy Spirit what He'd have for you in those relationships.

Prayer

Thank God that He has reconciled you to Him. Ask for His help and power in fulfilling the ministry of reconciliation (see Acts 1:8).

II Corinthians 5:18-21 NKJV

18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Ephesians 2:12 NKJV

12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Acts 1:8 NKJV

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

YIC: D 23 of 30 A Clique Is The Opposite Of Unity

Preppies. Punks. Jocks. Geeks. These are just some of the groups, or cliques, with whom we identify or in which we place others.
Cliques are groups we look to for friendship, comfort, or even popularity. We believe that if we can make it into or even be accepted by a particular crowd, then life will be perfect. The problem is that cliques are made up of imperfect people. Inevitably, your clique will let you down.
The other problem with cliques is that once we're in one, we tend to look down on those outside of our group. One day, however, this will all change.
In heaven, there won't be cliques from which you're excluded. There won't even be separate groups to be a part of. The false hope of cliques will be destroyed. Everyone will be unified in Christ. While we can't live this out perfectly today, we should do our best to live in unity with those who are in Christ, whether they're like us or not.

Read Revelation 7:9-10

How many people will be in heaven?

Where will all the people in heaven come from?

What will unity look like?

Prayer:
Thank God that He has reconciled you and countless others to Himself. Ask for His help in seeing His work in your community and around the world among all people.

Revelation 7:9-10 NKJV
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

YIC : D 22 of 30 Oneness In Christ

Have you ever been in a large group but still felt lonely? People tend to hang out with people they know and who are like them. Even in large groups this is true, as we tend to hang out with our friends and avoid strangers.

If you've been in this situation and tried to talk with someone from another group, you probably experienced a feeling that you were breaking through an invisible barrier.

Not only will you experience these invisible walls with people; you'll also see physical walls built to separate people. In other parts of the world, people have built high walls, chain-link fences, and concrete structures to separate themselves from others.

One day these invisible and physical walls will be destroyed. Everyone God has reconciled to himself through Jesus Christ will live with one another in peace and harmony.

Read Galatians 3:23-39

Through faith in Christ, we are considered what? (We are considered children of God. To be a child of God is much more than having a family relationship. Being God's children means we are "…heirs" of God and enjoy all the benefits of his family.)

Is there any difference between people in Christ? (No. The invisible barriers that separate us are done away with and destroyed. We are all one in Christ Jesus.)

How should your oneness in Christ change the way you interact with others?

Prayer

Thank God that through faith in Christ you are considered His child, an heir of His promises. Ask for His help in living out your oneness in Christ with others.

Galatians 3:23-39 NKJV

23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

Sons and Heirs

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

YIC: Day 19 of 30 Walk Toward God

We are to turn our backs to sin and our faces toward God.

Imagine walking for years in the same direction. How far do you think you would travel from home? Pretty far, right?

Spiritually, this is how life is for non-Christians. Every day they walk in the same direction, with their backs toward God and their faces toward sin and selfishness. This is what Paul called walking after "the course of this world." Their travels lead them farther and farther into darkness and death.

As Christians, we are to live lives of daily repentance. This means we are to turn our backs to sin and our faces toward God. We're to walk toward Jesus, day in and day out. In Christ we're saved from walking on this worldly road and turned to walk toward God.

Read Ephesians 2:2

What course do people walk apart from Christ? (They follow the course of this world.)

Whom do people follow apart from Christ? (The prince of the power of the air: this is another way of referring to Satan.)

Would you say that you're walking toward Jesus or toward the world?

Prayer

Thank God that by saving you and setting you on a path to follow Him, He has delivered you from the need to follow the world and Satan.

Ephesians 2:2 NKJV

2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,

20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone,

Your Identity In Christ Day 18 of 30 The Red Sea Is Behind You

The Red Sea Is Behind You

Read Exodus 14:10-13

Imagine helicoptering into this Red Sea scene, dropping commando-style onto the scene for an interview with one of those terror-stricken Hebrews. The stark fear of being wiped out by their former slave-driving boss, Pharaoh, and his cronies aside, what emotion does your interviewee articulate? I'd put my money on fear, fear that they haven't escaped their old identities, their old slavery, and their old slave master.

Think about it. These people had known nothing but slavery for 400 years. Suddenly, the God whom they thought had forgotten about them completely comes on the scene to deal with Pharaoh's tyranny. Finally, after the chilling plague narratives, Pharaoh relents. At last! Camping and bonfires on the beach of the Red Sea, right?

But wait! There's more: Suddenly, in the throes of megalomania, Pharaoh changes his mind and chases after them. Now God's people are hemmed in at an impassible Red Sea without water wings. But just as they miraculously cross and the Egyptians are charging across after them, God closes the sea and swallows them up (v. 26-29).

They were this close. This Moses guy had a great plan and now this! Horrific images emblazoned on their minds from lifetimes of slavery come rushing back. The hope of deliverance was too good to be true and they're really just slaves after all. It's back to the old life.

Now that's fear.

Nothing can quite peg identity like fear - and its constant companion, shame - can. And that's the big question. Who are you, really? An ineffective employee? A failed father? A basket case? A pervert? Damaged goods? Shame words try to name you, own you, and weigh you down.

Know this: you've been lied to.

You are not your old nature, and Christ has removed it completely from you and in His perfect love, driven out fear. In Christ, you are His treasured possession. We were not meant to lug the weight of slavery around in the first place. Christ's burden is easy; His yoke is light. You're clothed in Christ's righteousness, and when God sees you, He doesn't see shame - He sees the perfection of Jesus.

As part of God's family, you are the beloved firstborn. Rather than receiving the just judgment of the Egyptians, He has ransomed you to be with Him. In His eyes, the chaos of the sea is behind you, and the enemy has been defeated. Just like the Israelites' enemies and their accusations were drowned in the Red Sea, the shaming, condemning words of your past life of slavery have been silenced in the death and resurrection of Christ.

Amen!

"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" Galatians 5:1

By Pastor Matt Johnson

Exodus 14:10-13 NLT

10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord .
11 Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?
12 Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”
13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord , which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever.

Galatians 5:1 NKJV

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Exodus 14:26-29 NKJV

26When all the Israelites had reached the other side, the Lord said to Moses, “Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back and cover the Egyptians and their chariots and charioteers.”
27So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the water rushed back into its usual place. The Egyptians tried to escape, but the Lord swept them into the sea.
28Then the waters returned and covered all the chariots and charioteers—the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived.
29But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides.

Your Identity In Christ Day 17 of 30 Are You A Slave To Performace?

Are You A Slave To Performace?

Performance enslaves us to the opinions of others, making us unable to say no to anyone.

How do people become great? Do they launch a business and make a lot of money? Do they start a band and play before thousands? Do they make a video that goes viral on YouTube?

Jesus said that our pursuit of greatness is through service, not performance. He modeled this with His own life, laying it down for our forgiveness.

Performance is doing things for other people's approval. Service is doing them for God's approval, knowing that He is watching. Performance enslaves us to the opinions of others, making us unable to say no to anyone. Service frees us to do what God wants, enabling us to say no to others as needed. Performance leads us to become perfectionists, wanting to do everything just right to get praise from others. Service allows us to do even simple tasks and know that we are praised by God for doing so.

Knowing that God appreciates us in Christ allows us to exchange our performance for service.

Read Mark 9:33-37

Did Jesus discipline his disciples for aspiring to greatness? (No. Jesus redirected their aspirations for greatness.)

How does someone obtain greatness in the kingdom of heaven? ("If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.")

Do you have tendency to perform or to serve? Have everyone in your family identity up to three ways they can serve.

Prayer

Pray for a deeper understanding of God's appreciation for you and your family to free you from the pressures of performing and to help you become more satisfied in serving.

Mark 9:33-37 NKJV

33 Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. 35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36 Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”

Your Identity In Christ Day 15 of 30 How Do You React To Rudeness?

How Do You React To Rudeness?

God sees everything you do. He knows the sacrifices you make and the work you do.

The next time you're in a lunch line, leaving a game or concert, or getting off the bus, take a moment to observe how people expect you to treat them, and how they treat others. People can be just plain rude. Everyone at one point or another seems to act as if they are more important and that what they're doing has more meaning than anything we do.

No one likes to be treated rudely. Yet we, too, can be rude at times. Have you ever been jealous when someone else won a big award, performed well in a game, or got the latest gadget? How did you act?

We can get frustrated and angry - and even rude -when we're not appreciated for what we do. From work, school, and chores, we can go through the day feeling unappreciated, as if nobody cares. If you've ever felt this way, there's good news for you. God sees everything you do. He knows the sacrifices you make and the work you do. With every good thing you do in Christ, He is appreciative.

Read Ephesians 1:15-16

What did Paul hear about the people of Ephesus? (He heard about their faith in Jesus and their love toward all the saints.)

Because of what he heard, what did Paul do? (He gave unceasing thanks for them and remembered them in his prayers.)

Talk about what you feel and think when someone is rude toward you. Identity up to three ways you can show appreciation to others.

Prayer

Have your family pray and give thanks for the people in their lives. Have them each identify at least one reason they are thankful for others.

Ephesians 1:15-16 NKJV

15 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:

Your Identity In Christ Day 14 of 30 Our Blessings For God's Glory

Our Blessings For God's Glory

Our purpose in Christ is to worship God and enjoy him eternally.

Why does God bless us? So we can make a big deal about how great we are? Or does He bless us so that He will be made great?

The entire point of God's blessing is His glory. God blesses us with every spiritual blessing in Christ so that we may enjoy and glorify Him forever. This means that our purpose in Christ is to worship God and enjoy Him eternally.

Read Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14

According to verse 6, what is the purpose of God's blessings? (To bring praise for His glorious grace.)

What is the purpose of God's blessings as found in verses 12 and 14? (To elicit the praise of His glory.)

Discuss what it looks like to live a life of purpose in Christ for God's glory and your enjoyment.

Prayer

Pray through Ephesians 1:11-14.

Ephesians 1:6 NKJV

6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

Mark this reading as completed on YouVersion

Ephesians 1:11-14 NKJV

11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Your Identity In Christ Day 13 of 30 Loved And Adopted

Tomorrow is another long day for me because of exenuating circumstances... so I am posting early again.. there really is not much I can say on todays topic because I havnt had a bit of time to ponder it, I will attempt to do so in the morning or after work tomorrow nite...

Loved And Adopted

We are His children, and He is our Father.

Steve and Jan were nearing their destination. Their travels began in the Pacific Northwest in Seattle, Washington, and they were en route to China. This day marked the end of a year-and-a-half-long process for them. They were finally adopting their son - a young boy named Lu Hui.

As an adopted son, Lu Hui is a part of Steve and Jan's family. He enjoys all the benefits of a natural-born son, including the amazing love his parents share with him.

Just as Lu Hui was adopted into Steve and Jan's family, we are adopted into God's family in Christ. And just as Lu Hui experiences all the benefits of being a son, we, too, experience the benefits of being sons and daughters of God. We are His children, and He is our Father. We have brothers and sisters in Christ from every nation, tribe, and tongue.

Read Ephesians 1:5

What did God predestine us for? (Adoption.)

What are we adopted as? (We are adopted as God's children into His family.)

How is our adoption as God's children made possible? (Through Jesus Christ.)

How does it feel to be a part of your family? (Parents, relate this to being a part of God's family now that He has adopted you into it through Jesus Christ.)

Prayer

Thank God that you're able to call Him Father.

Ephesians 1:5 NKJV

5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

Your Identity in Christ day 12 of 30

You Are One Of God's Workers

How do you see yourself when you fail, when you completely blow it? Do you spend time thinking about all the ways you failed and that you are only as good as what you didn't do right? What does the enemy whisper in your ear when you've failed? Reminders of how you will never change, never grow? Reminders of the sin you have committed since you became a Christian?

For me, it's the latter again and again: reminders of the sin I have committed since I became a Christian. Even though I have repented of it, the enemy loves to whisper in my ear, tempting me to doubt my salvation, my forgiveness, and my freedom.

Paul has just given the Corinthian church a strong rebuke. He said to them only eight verses earlier that he "could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ." In other words, they are so much like the non-Christian world around them that he can't even speak to them like the people of God, but instead needs to talk to them in baby talk, because they are so immature.

How then could Paul tell these Corinthians that they are God's fellow workers, God's field, and God's building so shortly after? He can tell them this because their identity is not found in what they have done, but what God in Christ did for them. They can be God's fellow workers, field, and building because, as verse 6 says, "God gave the growth.'

God is working through you to build up His kingdom and will use you in whatever way He chooses to be made much of. So, the next time the enemy would seek to whisper lies in your ear, remind him that you have been bought with the blood of Christ and are one of God's workers, a part of His field, and a brick in His building. Jesus will not let the church He is building fail or fall.

By Pastor Ryan Williams

I Corinthians 3:9 NKJV

9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.

Your Identity in Christ day 11 of 30

Who Is Holy?

Jesus takes our sin and replaces it with his righteousness.

Whom do you think of as "holy"? A priest? A preacher? Someone who does a lot of good work?

Those people may be holy, but did you know that if you're in Christ, God considers you holy as well? Because of Jesus' work on the cross for us, we are "holy and blameless" before God. Jesus exchanged our sin for His holiness, and God now sees us as He sees Jesus, righteous and holy.

Jesus takes our sin and replaces it with his righteousness. Not only that, Jesus also gives us new desires to live a godly life and the strength to do so by the Holy Spirit. That doesn't mean we live without sin. But it does mean that we grow and better reflect the holiness of Jesus Christ each day.

In Christ we are considered holy by God and given the desire and ability to live holy lives devoted to Him.

Read Ephesians 1:4

Did God choose us, or did we choose Him? (God chose us.)

Why did God choose us? (God wanted us to be holy and blameless before Him.)

In what ways has God changed you and made you more holy because of Jesus' blessing?

How is God leading you to a life of greater holiness to reflect Jesus more?

Prayer

Take two chairs. Place them several feet apart. Have one family member sit on one chair. This chair represents the person's trust in his or her good deeds for salvation. Now have him or her switch to the other chair. This chair represents a trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. Ask: is it possible to sit in two chairs at once? (It's impossible to sit in both chairs at the same time. Similarly, it is impossible to trust in good works and Christ at the same time. We must rely on one or the other. This is what it means to personally trust in Jesus. Faith in Christ and reliance on our good works are mutually exclusive.)

Ephesians 1:4 NKJV

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

Your Identity in Christ day 10 of 30

You Can't Do Anything

You don't have to do good things for God to love you and bless you.

What makes God love us? Is it when we do good things for him? Some people think so. We can easily believe that if we pray, read the Bible, give a lot of money to the church, or live a good life, we'll make God love us and He will be good to us.

Thankfully, this isn't true. You don't have to do good things for God to love you and bless you. He has already blessed you in Christ.

God loves us even when we're sinners. In His love He saves us through Jesus and makes us new people in Christ. We must simply believe it and accept His gift of salvation. That's faith.

Read Ephesians 1:3

With what have we been blessed? (Every spiritual blessing. These spiritual blessings are from "the heavenly places", and they include our salvation.)

How are we to respond to God as a result of being blessed with every spiritual blessing? (God is to be blessed. This means we are to speak well of him by praising Him.)

We are to praise God for the spiritual blessings he gives us. Discuss how this is like thanking someone who has given us a great gift or done something nice for us.

Prayer

Have each family member thank God for his/her blessings in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3 NKJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

Your Identity in Christ: You Will Be Tempted day 9 of 30

You Will Be Tempted

Jesus himself faced temptations but refused to give in to them by remembering His identity and living out of it in the power of the Holy Spirit.

As a saint, you will be tempted to sin. But temptation and sin aren't the same. To be tempted is not a sin. Rather, temptation is an invitation to sin. As a saint, you'll be tempted to sin. When - not if - you are tempted, you are presented with an opportunity to either disobey God or worship God. Whether or not you sin all depends on how you respond. When you are tempted to sin, remember that you're a saint. Knowing your identity in Christ is the pool key to victory over sin. Jesus modeled this truth for us.

Jesus Himself faced temptations but refused to give in to them by remembering His identity and living out of it in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus' example is a powerful model for us today. In Christ we are new creations, empowered by the Holy Spirit to deny sin and to worship God.

Read 1 Corinthians 10:13

What does the Bible say about the temptations you face? (They're not uncommon to mankind.)

How is God faithful to you when you are tempted? (God will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but will provide for you a way of escape.)

Discuss times when you have been tempted to sin. What was your response?

Prayer

Pray for forgiveness, if anyone in your family has succumbed to temptation. Ask God to give you strength to endure temptation and to help you see the door of escape when tempted.

I Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Your Identity Through Christ day 8 of 30

Are Your A Slave?

Adam's single act of disobedience flung open the door for sin to enter into the world. Sin has now infected and affected everyone and everything.

God made everything out of nothing. He created the universe, the stars, the earth and everything in it. He even created our first two parents, Adam and Eve. Then, thinking about what He had created, God said that it was "very good"(Gen. 1:31). Unfortunately, things didn't stay that way for long.

Our first parents - in particular, Adam -rebelled against God and did what he was told not to do. Adam's single act of disobedience flung open the door for sin to enter into the world. Sin has now infected and affected everyone and everything.

Thankfully, that isn't the end of the story. Though we may be sinners in this life, that's not all we are. We are the image bearers of God, who are made saints in Christ.

Read 1 John 1:8; 3:9-10

How do we deceive ourselves? (By believing we have no sin.)

Can someone born again continue in the same sin as before? (No. Someone who is born of God does not make a practice of sinning. He or she will be convicted of it and be led to repent of it.)

Discuss the difference between having sin and being in sin. (A saint does sin. But when a Christian sins, he or she is convicted by the Holy Spirit and is led to repent. This is the difference between having sin and being in sin).

Discuss with your family whether there are sins they struggle with on a regular basis, and pray for one another to find freedom from sin in Jesus.

Prayer

Thank God that he has defeated the power of sin in your life. Ask for his help in having your identity be that of a saint, not a sinner.

I John 1:8 NKJV

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

I John 3:9-10 NKJV

9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

Genesis 1:31 NKJV

31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Your Identity Through Christ day 7 of 30

The Saint In Black

Though many in the church of Ephesus would have been drunks, gossips, or just downright mean people, Paul didn't choose to identify them that way.

Johnny Cash is a monument of the music industry. He is considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Though he was a successful musician, Cash wrecked his first marriage and struggled at points in his life with drugs and alcohol. In spite of his sins, Johnny Cash was a saint. Why? Because he was in Christ.

When reading the different letters of the New Testament, we tend to either read the greetings at the beginning quickly or just skip over them altogether, as if they're not important. If we treated Paul's greeting in Ephesians this way, we would miss something really important. Paul referred to everyone in the church as 'saints . . . in Christ Jesus' (Eph. 1:1).

Though many in the church of Ephesus would have been drunks, gossips, or just downright mean people, Paul didn't choose to identify them that way. He knew that if we're "in Christ Jesus", then we're saints. This is why he chose to greet the church in this way.

Read Romans 7:13-25 NLT

Why did Paul not understand his own actions? (He found that he did the very things he hated, and he didn't always have the power to do what was right.)

To whom did Paul look for help in not sinning? (He looked to Jesus Christ to set him free from his prison of sin.)

In Christ, Paul was a saint. Yet in Christ, Paul struggled with sin and doing what was right. In Christ, Johnny Cash was a saint. And yet, in Christ, Johnny Cash also struggled with sin and doing what was right. What can you learn from their experience? (In Christ we can still struggle with sin, but Jesus Christ - not being good -will deliver us from its punishment and power.)

Prayer

Thank Jesus Christ that he redeemed you from the penalty and power of sin.

Romans 7:13-25
13But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commands for its own evil purposes.
14So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.
15I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.
16But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.
17So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
18And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t.
19I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.
20But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.
21I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
22I love God’s law with all my heart.
23But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me.
24Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
25Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Ephesians 1:1-2 NLT

1This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.
2May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.