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, forgive me for revering anything else other than you. As I lift my hands in surrender, show me where my focus should be and how to order and value my life based on you. Protect me from being entangled in braiding my life with anything other than your purpose for me. In Jesus’ name, Amen. ”

DAY
01

Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord she shall be praised.

-PROVERBS 31:29-30

REFLECTION:

Charm and beauty are not inherently evil, but they fall short in the pursuit of ‘shall be praised.’ The world seeks after things that do not satisfy.

RESPONSE:

‘Fear of the Lord’ means giving Him reverence. How does this stand contrary to the ways of culture? How can we revere the Lord with the way we live our life?

DAY
02

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...

-GALATIANS 6:14

REFLECTION:

Boasting in the ‘beauty and charm’ of the world around us, is what James 4:16 calls ‘boasting in our arrogance’ and all such boasting is considered evil.

RESPONSE:

What things does the world give value and praise to? How is this counter to what God says is worthy of praise?

DAY
03

Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension. Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold...

-1 TIMOTHY 2:8-10

REFLECTION:

We all get caught up in BRAIDING our lives. (Deceptive or vain pursuits). Our default is to want to have something to claim or boast about. Sometimes we’ve even pulled the wool over our own eyes and our hearts deceive us on the matter.

RESPONSE:

How can lifting holy hands and keeping our hearts oriented toward our distinction as a child of God help us keep a right perspective on our value, and keep us from becoming arrogant, and boasting about the wrong things?

DAY
04

For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?

-LUKE 9:25

REFLECTION:

When we have masked ourselves with the world's standards that are impossible to measure up to, it only leads to disappointment. What might look like gain on the outside will only make you feel more empty on the inside.

RESPONSE:

Have you ever known people who seem to have it all but yet they are never satisfied or happy? How can we protect ourselves from placing our hope in our appearance, our status, our kids' successes, or accomplishments, etc...

DAY
05

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

-2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

REFLECTION:

We need to distinguish ourselves by who God says we are. We need to throw off the lies that our identity or our success is determined by anything other than the new creation that God says we are in Christ Jesus.

RESPONSE:

Ask yourself if you are living for the affections and affirma- tions of your culture in any area of your life. Who does God say you are in Christ Jesus? Let that be the meditation of your heart that pushes back on anything else.