Sunday (9/26)

We are continuing our series about The Whole Armor of God as described by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 6. Throughout the series you are invited to read and study verses from Paul’s letter to the Christians in Ephesus as well as other scripture found in the Bible. You’re also invited to memorize a verse or two each week. Memorizing scripture is a way to equip your mind with messages from the Lord that will speak to you during the challenges of life, as well as help to defend you against the attacks of the Enemy (Matthew 4:1-11).

 

 

Monday (9/27)

Invite the Lord to speak to you today by praying the prayer below based on

Revelation 2:7:

Lord, help me to hear what you are saying to me today so that I respond according to your will.

 

Read Genesis 15:1. How has God shielded and protected you during your lifetime? How is the Lord protecting you now? As the apostle Paul teaches us in Ephesians 6, are you wearing the armor of God and utilizing a shield of faith to “extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Ephesians 6:16 NIV)?

 

Pray in response to the Lord, our protector, shield, and reward. Thank the Lord for how he has protected you in the past and how he is shielding you now. Ask the Lord to protect your family members, friends, children throughout the world, and those who are currently vulnerable to Satan’s attacks.

 

*Our memory verse is Ephesians 2:8.

 

 

Tuesday (9/28)

Invite Jesus to speak to you today by praying the prayer below based on

Revelation 2:7:

Jesus, help me to hear what you are saying to me today so that I respond according to your will.

 

Read Hebrews 11. Which word, phrase, or verse is God using to speak to you today from what you read?

 

Pray with thanksgiving for the believers who came before us. Pray for our persecuted sisters and brothers in Christ throughout the world. Pray for your faith, and the faith of the people of AUMC, to continue to grow more and more so that we rely upon God and trust in him more and more. Pray for a growing faith within Christians throughout the world.

 

*Our memory verse is Ephesians 2:8.

 

 

Wednesday (9/29)

Invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you today by praying the prayer below based on Revelation 2:7:

Spirit of the living God, help me to hear what you are saying to me today

so that I can respond and live according to your will.

 

Read Hebrews 12:1-3. Are there things in your life that have you entangled so that you cannot be a completely committed follower of Jesus? Do you feel trapped or held hostage by your sins? Where are you directing your focus and attention? The writer of Hebrews encourages us to “fix our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2 NIV). When the hardships of life become overwhelming, study, think about, and remember what Jesus has done for us (Hebrews 12:3).

 

Pray through your day, praying about all you will do or have already done, as well as for the people you’ll encounter or the ones you encountered. Ask the Lord to help you to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” so that you can faithfully follow Jesus and live obediently in response to the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 12:1 NIV).

 

*Our memory verse is Ephesians 2:8.

 

 

Thursday (9/30)

Invite God to speak to you today by praying the prayer below based on Revelation 2:7:

Father in heaven, help me to hear what you are saying to me today through scripture and the whisper of your voice within me, so that I live according to your will.

 

Read part of Paul’s letter to the Christians in Ephesus from Ephesians 2:1-10. Which word, phrase, or verse is God using to speak to you today from what you read?

 

Pray with gratitude by thanking God for his grace and for salvation through faith in Christ. Ask the Lord to reveal the “good works…God prepared in advance” for you to do today and the remaining days of this week (Ephesians 2:10 NIV).

 

*Our memory verse is Ephesians 2:8.

 

 

Friday (10/1)

Invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you today by praying the prayer below based on Revelation 2:7:

Spirit of the living God, help me to hear what you are saying to me today

so that I can respond and live according to your will.

 

Read Ephesians 2:11-22. What stands out to you from what you read? Have you ever considered yourself “a holy temple” of the Lord? How does knowing that you are “a holy temple” of God change the way you think about yourself and your body? The “holy temple” Paul describes in the verses points towards the people of God, also known as the church, “being build together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22 NIV). Together, with other believers, we are the church. The “church” isn’t a building made with brick and mortar, but a people of flesh and blood built together into a temple of the Lord where the Spirit of God dwells in us. With that in mind, how do these verses change the way you think about the church?

 

Pray for “God’s people” and his “household” of believers, the church (Ephesians 2:19). Pray for peace and unity within AUMC, the Methodist denomination, and for Christians throughout the world. Pray that the people of the world encounter the living God through us, the church, whenever our paths cross. Pray for God to bring new people into his “household” through AUMC and churches in every nation.

 

*Our memory verse is Ephesians 2:8.

 

 

Saturday (10/2)

Invite the Lord to speak to you today by praying the prayer below:

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.

 

Read the words of the prophet Isaiah about God found in Isaiah 31:5. Some translations include the word “shield” while others use the word “protect.” Read Psalm 3:1-3. Notice the imagery of God as our shield and protector. The apostle Paul borrows this imagery as he connects the “armor of God” with the armor worn by Roman soldiers during the first century (Ephesians 6:13-17).

 

Pray for the people of Jerusalem, Israel, and the Jewish people throughout the world. Pray for minority populations within America. Pray for anyone and everyone who needs to be rescued, including children, those who are enslaved in human trafficking, citizens of war torn countries, etc. The Lord is our shield and protector.

 

*Our memory verse is Ephesians 2:8.

 

You are strongly encouraged to observe the sabbath either today or tomorrow as a time to rest, reflect, and enjoy recreation. To learn more about the sabbath, read Exodus 20:8-11, Exodus 31:13, Leviticus 16:31, Leviticus 23:3, and Deuteronomy 5:12-15. The questions below can be used to help with some time of reflection:

 

How did I see, hear, or encounter God during this past week?

 

Who needs to hear about my experience sometime in the coming days?

 

 

*If you do not have a Bible, consider downloading the YouVersion Bible App for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play for your smartphone or tablet. You can also use www.BibleGateway.com to look up and read various translations of Bible verses online.