“Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” – Mark 12:43-44.

Some high-stakes poker games are televised on TV. There is usually a group of people around a table with stacks of chips for betting sitting in front of them. As the game proceeds, a player occasionally slides all his chips into the middle of the table and says, “I’m all in.” When players go “all In” in poker, they bet all their remaining chips on a single hand. This move can be exciting and risky, and it is often used as a last resort when a player believes they have a strong hand but do not have enough chips to make a standard bet. Sometimes, the “all-in ” strategy works; sometimes, it doesn’t.

When it comes to commitment to God, God wants us to live with an “all-in” attitude. God is looking for authentic commitment. God wants us to be committed to Him so that the world will know He is important to us. Our commitment to Him is our witness. To be fully committed, to be “all in,” Jesus has to be first in our lives.

Once, Jesus and His disciples went to the temple, where they watched the crowd bring their money and place it in the temple treasury. When the copper coins hit the collection boxes, they made lots of noise. It wasn’t much of a secret which worshipers gave large sums of money and which didn’t. However, no one could know who gave sacrificially except for Jesus.

When a widow came and dropped two small copper coins in the treasury, worth only a fraction of a penny, Jesus pointed her out to His disciples: “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions.  For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on” (Mark 12:43-44). This woman was “all-in.” She had cast her lot entirely with God, depending totally and completely upon God to care for her and supply her needs.

Just before He was crucified, Jesus knelt down in the garden of Gethsemane. With His face to the ground, He prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus was faced with the brutality of the cross. It was not the hand He wanted to play. He was a King, but this King had a crown of thorns. But He played the hand that God gave Him. He was all in.

Jesus isn’t satisfied with people who give the bare minimum. He indeed loves you just the way you are, but He also loves you too much to let you stay that way. As you follow Him, He will always call you to new, challenging, and increasing levels of commitment. He wants us to be all in.

 Discussion Questions:

1. What does it mean to be all in in your mind?
2. What can we do better this week to reflect our being all in?

“Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”  – Colossians 4:2.

As the Apostle Paul was finishing his letter to the church at Colossae, he penned a sincere and urgent directive to the church: “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.”

It is important to notice this verse tells us to “devote yourselves.” It doesn’t say God will do this for you. There are an endless number of things we can devote ourselves in life: careers, family, relationships, hobbies, etc. When we dedicate ourselves to something, we typically remain committed through thick and thin. We don’t give up at the first sign of difficulty.  In the same way, God wants you to use your automatic drive to stick to a task, see it through, and apply it to your prayer life.

Look at Luke 11:1: “One day he was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said, “Master, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” Apparently, Jesus had just finished praying in the presence of His disciples. Eager to be like Jesus, they asked that He teach them to pray. Notice two things: they wanted to communicate with God through prayer, and they knew they needed guidance.  The disciples were with Jesus day in and day out. Of all the things they could have asked Him to teach them — how to heal, teach or perform extraordinary miracles — they asked how to pray.

Jesus gave the disciples (and us) the Lord’s Prayer to teach them. When praying, the posture of our hearts toward the Lord is more important than our actual words. Life is complicated, but our prayer lives need not be.

Prayer is personal. Prayer is a privilege. It’s not a burden or something on a spiritual checklist. Let go of your expectations about what prayer looks like. You don’t need fancy “thees” and “thous” or other special “church” words. You don’t have to use a formal prayer posture or say specific words. Open your heart to God and share what’s most heavy on it.  Share your concerns, burdens, joys, questions, failures, and the decisions you must make. Prayer is simply spending time with the Lord, bringing our praise and burdens to Him.

The more you pray, the more your prayer language will grow, but as you get started, the most important thing is simply engaging God in conversation.

Prayer is our side of the personal conversation with God. It is an incredible privilege to speak with our divine Creator, knowing He listens and responds wisely. Prayer gives us 24/7 access to our heavenly Father, made possible only by the sacrifice of His Son on the cross for our sins.

Discussion Questions:

1. Is prayer a challenging discipline for you? Why or why not?
2. Why do you think people struggle with prayer today? What obstacles keep us from taking everything to God?  

“Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matthew 22:37-39

Matthew 22 is a well-known and often recited passage of scripture, and for good reason. In this passage, Jesus calls us to care deeply about Him and those He has placed around us in our families, workplaces, and neighborhoods.

In The Message paraphrase of the Bible, Jesus’ coming is expressed in this way: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood…” (John 1:14). He came to live among us to reach us and love us in ways we could understand. God has placed you in your neighborhood for important reasons, one of which is to love your neighbors more intentionally.

So, how can we share God’s love with others? One is to share the gospel. As a church, we hope you’re encouraged to consider what makes Christianity unique and remarkable. Furthermore, we hope you are inspired and emboldened to share your faith. St. Francis of Assisi says, “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” The sentiment is very true. Think about how you behave around someone and how that would impact how they view your words.

For example, be intentional about showing kindness to others, even in simple ways. Listen to others: Take the time to hear what someone is saying without judgment or interruption. Serve others: Serving others is a tangible way to show God’s love. Look for ways to serve in your community or church, and be open to opportunities to serve those around you.

Go before God in prayer for your neighbors. Pray specific prayers when you know neighbors well enough to understand their situations. Observe and pray for those you don’t know as well. For example, a house with toys scattered out front is home to a family—even if you don’t know them, pray for God’s grace on their family relationships. Ask God to reveal specific neighbors for whom you can start praying.

Be patient and forgiving: We all make mistakes and fall short. When someone wrongs you, choose to extend forgiveness and patience. This can be a powerful way to show God’s love and grace. Be an encourager by speaking words of encouragement and affirmation to those around you. Be a peacemaker: In a world of conflict and division, be a peacemaker. Seek to reconcile relationships and promote peace and unity.

God’s love is not meant to be hoarded or kept to ourselves. It’s meant to be shared with others. As we love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, we are filled with His love, which overflows to those around us.

Even small sacrifices—of our time or resources—please the Lord. Let’s reach out this week and share God’s love with others.

Discussion Questions:

1. Are we a “display window” for the supernatural love of Christ? In what ways are we accomplishing this mission, and in what ways are we hindering it?

“And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity[b]— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” – Acts 2:44-47.

No group of people has more power to do good than the church of Jesus Christ. The members of the family of God have the blessing and responsibility to leverage their collective resources for the glory of God and the expansion of His kingdom. Since Christ is generous, the church should be generous.

Jesus is the church’s model for generosity. During His earthly ministry, Jesus was generous with His time, compassion, and power, and His death on the cross made it possible for people to receive the fullness of God’s love. Since Christ is generous to us, we are responsible as His church to be generous to others. When the church is generous, the community sees God’s love in action.

Acts 2:42-47 shows church members displaying the type of generosity designed to ensure no one would live in need. When Hurricane Michael hit in 2018, the church put their arms around the community. It was amazing to see a kingdom-minded spirit of generosity take the church. The church community showed the love of God in a real way.  There have been many other examples in the years that followed.

As the apostle Paul sat in a dark prison cell, he had the opportunity to contemplate all he had experienced as an ambassador and apostle for Jesus Christ. He wrote a letter to the church at Philippi. As the letter closed, Paul expressed his gratitude to the church for its generosity toward him. At repeated points in his ministry, the church had given financial support to the apostle. In Philippians 4, Paul expressed how the Philippians had blessed him with their generosity at a time when no other church supported him: “As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this”  (Philippians 4:15).

A generous church is a Christ-honoring church. Our goal is to always be known as a generous church, one that is the first to rise up when a need is present. Sometimes, the need impacts members of the body; sometimes, it centers on a missions project, and sometimes, it is concentrated in the community. We pray that God is glorified and that lives are powerfully impacted because of the generosity of Christ’s churches.

Our generosity as believers is much more than an annual fundraiser. It’s a lifestyle. We wouldn’t be His people, and He would not be our God if He had not asked us to give. He’s a giving God, and we’re generous people. By sharing our resources, we excel in another way to live like Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1. Is God the source of generosity? Why or why not?
2. What are our presumptions and beliefs about generosity – generally and regarding specific types? If generosity is enticing or exciting, why aren’t we more generous? 

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper, and to prayer”  – Acts 2:42.

What makes a healthy, vibrant, God-blessed church? What is needed to produce the church community we find in Acts 2?

The Acts 2:42 church didn’t just happen. The early followers of Jesus devoted themselves to the Apostle’s teachings. They devoted themselves to hearing from God through the scriptures, speaking with God in prayer, and belonging to the church.

To understand the Acts 2:42 church, we have to go back to Acts 2:1-4, where the risen Lord Jesus fulfilled ancient promises by pouring out the Holy Spirit upon His disciples. And then we have to go to verses 14 and following where Peter stood up and proclaimed this Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the fulfillment of Israel’s story, and the fulfiller of all of God’s promises. Peter summed up his sermon with these words: “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah”  (Acts 2:36). And so, verse 37, “Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

In Verse 41 we read: “Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.” (Acts 2:41). You cannot have a devoted church without the gospel. You cannot create a vibrant community without preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, who is crucified and risen. You can’t get an Acts 2 church without the gospel.

The first characteristic is devotion to the apostle’s teaching. That’s right there in verse 42. “And they devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching. They were sharing life with each other, literally, as verse 45 unpacks: They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need” (Acts 2:45).

They were committed. We need to remember that being a Christian was quite a cost in those days. Following Jesus was dangerous, and you didn’t do it casually. When you crossed the line of saying, “I’m in, I’m a part of this family,” you were in. You were committed. And, of course, this commitment shows up simply in the word “devoted” (Luke 2:42). This word speaks of consistancy and perseverance. These people were committed to being the church together.

How can we be this kind of community today? How can our church be marked by the characteristics that marked the early church? Being committed to the church is more than a gold star for attendance; it is a commitment to the work of our Lord. It requires submission to His authority and active participation to be used and offered with the full abilities of our gifts and talents. It means being devoted.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does it mean to you to be devoted to God? To the church?

“So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” – 1 Peter 1:14-16. 

 The Message paraphrases 1 Peter 1:14-16 like this: “…let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” From Genesis to Revelation, scripture is filled with verses on the holiness of God. Exodus 15:11 asks, “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord— glorious in holiness, awesome in splendor, performing great wonders?” And 1 Samuel 2:2 declares, “No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one besides you;  there is no Rock like our God.”

At its essence, holiness is nothing less than conformity to the character of God. Many believe that holiness is a bridge too far, is out of our reach, and is unrealistic. Thinking of ourselves as holy people is a little intimidating. Holiness is a pretty tall order. When The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 1:15 to “be holy,” it is a goal rather than a destination. It is something to strive for. God knows we can’t be perfect, but His desire for us is to grow to become more like His Son, Jesus, as time passes and as we mature in our faith.

Fortunately, holiness is not just based on our efforts at being good. Holiness is who we are based on our relationship with Jesus Christ. We have been made holy… not because we follow a bunch of rules of things to do and not to do. This amazing work of God does not stop when I accept Jesus as my personal Savior. I’m not left alone to be holy from this point forward. Jesus is working through the Holy Spirit to make me holy. And what God starts, He will finish.“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Philippians 1:6). God is not leading us to an unattainable level of perfection. Our lack of perfection should merely lead us to strive to meet God’s goal for us continually

Of all the goals we have for our life, the most important is to pursue holiness because it is God’s goal for our life. As Oswald Chambers said, “God has only one intended destiny for mankind—holiness. His only goal is to produce saints. God is not some eternal blessing-machine for people to use, and He did not come to save us out of pity—He came to save us because He created us to be holy.”

 Discussion Questions:

1. Does living a holy and pure life seem impossible? 
2. What is the most challenging part of living a holy life? 
3. What can we do this week to live a more holy life?

“Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.” – Psalm 29:2 (ESV).

Glory is a difficult concept to get our arms around because most of us will not experience glory. Glory must be earned, and we are not all that good at it. If you lived during Solomon’s reign and were invited to the palace to meet the king, you would bow and give Solomon glory. But if Solomon wore the clothes of an ordinary man and walked into some isolated village, the villagers wouldn’t know he was king and wouldn’t give him the glory a king expects. Solomon doesn’t have glory in and of himself. His only glory is when he puts on the robe and crown and sits on the throne.

The glory of God is completely different. God never takes off His kingly garments. He never takes off the crown or leaves the throne. He is not God because of the throne, or the robe, or the crown. Rather, He has a throne, a robe, and a crown because He is God.

Defining the glory of God is impossible because God’s glory lives above and beyond any type of description or definition. The answer is as infinite as God’s glory itself, so the question can never be answered exhaustively. Now, when Isaiah 6:3 says that one angel is crying to another, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts,” the next thing he says is this: “The whole earth is filled with his . . . ” People could guess that the next word would be “holiness,” but he doesn’t say that. He says, “glory.”  2 Corinthians 4:6 says, “For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.” Hebrews 1:3 adds, “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven”

The scriptures tell us: ”[He] has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale? … all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. [to Him] …[He] spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them” (Isaiah 40: 12, 15, 22). The prophet attempts to give God’s glory some scale through word pictures. Still, even these very picturesque and helpful descriptions fall miserably short of capturing the awesome glory of God. God’s glory encompasses the greatness, beauty, and perfection of all He is. He is beyond our ability to estimate, understand, or describe.

Scripture associates worship with glorifying God far more than any other activity. At its heart, worship ascribes all glory to God alone. We can glorify God in many ways, but Scripture indicates that nothing we do delights God more than calling on His name with sincere hearts and declaring that all glory belongs to Him.

Discussion Questions:

1. The definition of glorifying God is to honor God by our lives, showing His splendor, love, and perfection, and that His presence is seen in us. In what ways does the believer do this in everyday life?
2. What can we do this week to glorify God? 

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

Real estate flipping in Florida is a cottage industry. The Sunshine State is fertile ground for investors looking for the promise of profit by revitalizing properties. The objective is to buy a piece of property that is run down and seemingly without much value to most people. The real estate developer sees past what it is to what it could be once the process of renovation, refurbishing, or complete rebuilding takes place.

So it is with God and us. God is in the renewal business, not with buildings but with the heart. Renewal is a transformative process that Christians embark upon to rejuvenate their spiritual lives. It is not a one-time event but an ongoing journey of transformation and growth in the Christian faith.

We all tend to go through times of spiritual fear, sourness, and staleness. We need renewal. The good news is we can expect it. The Bible promises this to us: that when we are spiritually dry or defeated, God will give us the answer to our dryness and defeat.

Psalm 103:1-5 (ESV):“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

All of us do get weary. But they who wait upon the Lord shall renew, exchange, or regain their strength.  He exchanges our weakness for His strength. In the place of our difficulties and inabilities, He puts His abilities.  In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul is talking about all he has suffered for them and what he went through for them, but he said, “It’s worth it.” He did go through a lot, and he talked about the difficulties he met, and then in verse 16, he says: “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.”

For Abraham, the place of renewal was Bethel, where he “built another altar and dedicated it to the LORD, and he worshiped the LORD” (Genesis 12:8). For Moses and the Israelites, it was the tabernacle in the wilderness, where God’s glory rested. For the 12 disciples, it was their frequent meetings with Jesus.

We all need such times and places of renewal when our morale and vision are reignited and our spiritual batteries are recharged. God has an incredible plan for renewal in your life. He knows the trials, circumstances, and people that wear you down better than anyone. And He knows that you need time to be refreshed by Him. We can seek rest and renewal from many different outlets, but the only consistent and true source of renewal is God.

Discussion Questions:

1. Why do you think renewal is essential?

THE INFLUENCE OF SALT AND LIGHT

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father?” – Matthew 5:13-16

Influence is a big thing in our culture today. Influencers have become an integral part of the online space, creating communities, working with brands to showcase products, and forming human connections online. These digital celebrities can shape our everyday norms, from shopping habits to trends to beliefs to lifestyles.

God expects us to be influencers in our own way. Does that mean we should start recording TikTok videos to showcase our Christianity?  Not necessarily. It does mean, however, that we are intentional about serving and being loving, kind, forgiving, and patient.  And if we are intentional and consistent, people will take note.

Jesus opened His Sermon on the Mount with a series of countercultural beatitudes in His day and remains so in ours. The assigned roles of salt and light show that Jesus wants His followers to be people of character who rightly influence the world.

We don’t always fully grasp the things that Jesus said. And this seemingly random pairing of salt and light is no exception. So why the two things—salt and light? Well, both serve a singular primary purpose. Salt serves the purpose of taste, and light serves the primary purpose of seeing. The point is that when salt has no taste and light can’t be seen, they are worthless and influences nothing.

But as followers of Jesus, we’re supposed to be different in all the ways He was different. His words were humble, engaging, substantial, and timelessly true. Two thousand years later, they haven’t lost their flavor. And His qualities still shine like the sun. People are drawn to Him just like we’re drawn out of darkness by light. He loved people, prayed for those who persecuted Him, and ultimately died for those who mistreated Him. He was joy-filled because He knew what lay beyond the moment.

Jesus tells His followers they are “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world.” This means that Christians should help make the world a better place. Just like salt adds flavor to food and keeps it from spoiling, Christians are meant to be a positive influence, improving their communities and showing others kindness and love.

You don’t have to be famous, wealthy or successful. You don’t need an impressive degree or many followers on social media. A specific age, nationality, or personality is not a requirement, and your job, location, or marital status does not limit you. We have the power to be salt and light and positively influence others.

Discussion Questions:

1. In what ways have you allowed yourself to become less salty? In what ways have you hidden your light under a basket?
2. Can you think of one way or one specific person to whom you can be flavorful and light-giving today?

“Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:“Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.” – Esther 4: 15-16.

As Christians, we have the opportunity and often the ability to make a profound difference in the lives of others. Every believer can impact someone else’s life for good or bad. We can make a difference in someone’s life at work, at a restaurant, at church, at home, or just by talking to a neighbor by the fence. They will be influenced one way or another by what you say and do.

What is influence? Influence is the power of producing an effect on someone without any apparent effort on our part. Whether we are trying to influence someone or not, we are impacting them just by being around them. And our kind of influence as believers is very important because we represent God.

As Christians, it often seems that God’s greatest moments for us are never for us alone. These pivotal moments are always about our lives touching the lives of others or someone touching ours. A life touched by God always ends in touching others.

Esther was a courageous woman who used her influence to save her people. Despite being the king of Persia’s bride, the king had no idea that Esther was a Jew.  When Esther learned of a proposal to eliminate the Jewish people, she faced a decision: to stand up for her people and risk her safety, or remain silent. In the end, her courage saved the day.

We may read this story and think, ‘Well, my life certainly doesn’t look like Esther’s. What influence do I have?’  Maybe you’re saying, “No, not me. I don’t have influence. I’m shy. I’m not special. No one follows me.”  Stop and remember that God created you to have influence. Not because you’re great but because God is great. And because He has allowed us to have influence. All influence requires is interaction with people—and we all have that ability.

Influence is relational. Think about the most influential people in your life—those who shaped or changed you the most—the people you admire, respect, and want to be like.  I’ll bet they built you up, empowered you, and called out the best in you. They gave you encouragement or opportunities to become a better you. Your influence grows when you stop thinking about being great or being an influence, and you start thinking about empowering others to be great.

We need to do the same for the people in our lives. We need to get up every day and ask God for ideas on how we can give of our time, attention, talents, and resources. People will learn a lot from us about the nature of God by watching what we do and how we do it. Our actions are a living sermon, and that sermon can have a significant influence on the lives of others.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do your views and opinions influence your friends? Why or why not? How do your peers respect your beliefs and values?
2. How do you positively influence your friends?
3. What can we do this week to be a better influence on others?