DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE Sept. 14-20

Sermon Text: Acts 15:1-35


Daily Devotional Guide

I had a job delivering pizza in college. If our boss caught us working hard he would pass out these things called Hustle Bucks. If you were able to acquire enough of these you could get yourself a free pizza. I'm proud to say that I saved up quite a few Hustle Bucks during my time in the pizza industry. 


But imagine if I were able to find those old coupons and take them to the bank today to exchange for cash. The workers would laugh at me. And in one way or another, they'd tell me that my awards for hard work in the past mean nothing today. 


Such is the case with the gospel. When it comes to God's favor, our accomplishments and religious rituals are much like those Hustle Bucks from days of old - worn out prizes from another time that have no benefit now or in eternity. It is only through grace, not works, that we come to Christ. This is one of the primary pillars of Christianity. But this didn't come without a fight. As you will see in this week's passage, there once was a group that valued performance over grace. Sadly, these types of groups haven't gone away. Even more concerning, if we look hard enough, we're likely to find this performance-based way of thinking in our own lives. As you read, listen, and pray this week, ask God to give you a clear picture of grace so that all that you do will be an act of worshiping God rather than an attempt to pay him back.


Monday - Ephesians 1

Tuesday - Ephesians 2

Wednesday - Philippians 3:1-11

Thursday - Philippians 3:12-21

Friday - Galatians 3

Saturday - Galatians 4

Sunday - Galatians 5

DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE September 21-27

Sermon Series: Acts

Sermon Text: Acts 16:1-10

Sermon Title: Open Doors and Roadblocks


Daily Devotional Guide

We often find ourselves in situations where we don't know what God is doing. Sometimes God doesn't act when we want him to. There are other times when we expect God to do one thing and he does the exact opposite. Simply put, we can't figure God out. And that's a good thing. 


If you have never found yourself in a situation where you didn't have the answers you wanted and seemed to have grasped everything about God that there is to know, it's likely that you're missing the real God. Somewhere along the way, you replaced him with a god more like yourself. 


It is during these times of confusion, if we persevere, that we often come to know and trust God much deeper than we ever have before. On the mountaintop, we hear God's voice. But in the valley, dark and scary as it is, we feel his hand. Don't be discouraged if you don't know what God is doing. You don't have to. All you have to do is trust in him. As you do, you may not get more answers but you will come to know and love God more. And it's knowing God, not merely knowing the answers, that really matters. 


Monday - Esther 1

Tuesday - Esther 2

Wednesday - Esther 3

Thursday - Esther 4

Friday - Esther 5 - 6

Saturday - Esther 7 - 8

Sunday - Esther 9 - 10