WEEKLY SERMON REFLECTIONS

Each week, take 5 days to dive deeper into the heart of our Sunday sermons! Through key insights and scripture, this format will allow for further personal reflection and spiritual growth. Keeping this at the dinner table, discuss it with family and/or friends.

PRAYER OF THE WEEK:

“Lord God, thank you for bestowing your grace upon our lives. Thank you for Christ’s example in how we should live for you, and for the Holy Spirit that brings wisdom in renewing our mind to God’s word, so that we may overflow with His love and truth to those around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

DAY
01

...She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.

-Proverbs 31:25-27

REFLECTION:

She preempts any future with a God-empowered life ‘today’. Her heart was primed with the kindness that breaks forth in speech. Idling through life and hoping it works out, is nothing more than wishing. The fabric of our heart should be woven with the wisdom of God, so that it will be what breaks forth.

RESPONSE:

Just as the sunrise breaks forth above the horizon in great beauty and splendor, how can we make sure the words breaking forth from our mouths are also gracious and life-giving? (Read Romans 12:9-16 for more biblical insight.)

DAY
02

...for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.

-Luke 6:45

REFLECTION:

What is in our hearts will break forth into the world around us, primarily by the things we say.

RESPONSE:

What do you find yourself most often saying on any given day? Is it gossip, complaining, anger? How can we change our thoughts, to then affect our words?

DAY
03

If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.”

-James 1:26

“So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!...

-James 3:5-6

REFLECTION:

Our own ears can pick up on what our heart is saying, so we need to first ask ourselves what it is that we think about in our heart. We need to pray and ask God to reveal those things that are idle and unfruitful and continue to renew our minds to His word.

RESPONSE:

Recall a time when you were able to calm a situation by being slow to speak and then asking the Holy Spirit to help you with how to respond?

DAY
04

...Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? ...first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

-Matthew 7:3-5

REFLECTION:

It’s easy to see the faults or shortcomings of others, but Jesus calls us into humility and to be pliable to the transformation in our ‘own’ hearts that God desires for us, so then we’ll be able to graciously engage with others.

RESPONSE:

What posture should we take when engaging others in difficult conversations?

DAY
05

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

-Psalms 139:23-24

REFLECTION:

We need to preempt our futures with strength and dignity as we see the Proverbs 31 woman doing. We need to ask God to challenge and change the fabric of our hearts so that what breaks forth from our mouths would be edifying to us and others around us.

RESPONSE:

None of us says everything perfect all of the time, but how can we pray and ask the Lord to search our hearts, give us wisdom and guide our paths and our words? Set aside time every day to pray a prayer of surrender like this one.