This devotional is designed as a companion to Mercy

Hill’s 30-day prayer challenge for the In the End

sermon series. There are tools in here to help you

learn how to pray, how to study Scripture, and how

to combine the two. Our devotional time and our

prayers should be centered on the word of God, and

this devotional well help you do that. Each week will

mirror the themes discussed in that week’s sermon,

so you’ll be able to fully immerse yourself into what

God is saying to Mercy Hill through this series.

How to UseThis Devotional

Begin by praying that God would give you wisdom as you read the Scripture passage and that your heart would hear what God is saying.

Read the selected passage that’s provided in this document or your own bible (you can read the entire chapter if you have time).

Think about what you’ve just read, and then read the reflection section following.

Use the prayer provided as a framework for your prayer that day; you can pray as long as you would like. The goal in prayer is to be Scriptural, worshipful, thankful, honest, repentant, and dependent on God.

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What you’ll see is that each day has Scripture, a short reflection, and a prayer. Each day’s entry should be short enough for anyone on any schedule.

November 15No Other Gods: Exodus 20:2-3

November 16My Portion and My Cup: Psalm 16:4-6

November 17Healthy Boundaries: 1 John 5:21

November 18Daily Cross-Bearing: Luke 9:23

November 19The Seriousness of the Call: Luke 9:61-62

November 20The Promised Spirit: Ezekiel 36:25-27

November 21Ultimate Motivation: Philippians 3:7-8

November 22Living in Light of the End: 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

November 23Where Is Our Treasure?: Matthew 6:19-21

November 24Traits for Fruitfulness: 2 Peter 1:5-8

November 25Sealed for Eternity: Ephesians 1:13-14

November 26Running the Race: Hebrews 12:1-3

November 27Endurance from the Word: Romans 15:4

November 28Joy in Suffering: James 1:2-3

November 29The One Who Conquers: 1 John 5:4-5

November 30A Christian’s Last Words: 2 Timothy 4:7-8

Week 3Fighting Lukewarm Christianity

Week 4Enduring until Eternity

Days 1-3How and When to Pray

Week 1Returning to Our First Love

November 01Learning Prayer from the Master: Matt. 6:9-13

November 02Anxiety as Prayer Fuel: Philippians 4:6

November 03What Time Is It?: 1 Peter 4:7

November 04The Greatness of God: Isaiah 40:25-28

November 05The Holiness of God: Psalm 5:4-6

November 06The Kindness of God: Romans 2:3-4

November 07The Grace of God: Titus 2:11-13

November 08The First Love: 1 John 4:19

November 09Our Primary Love: Matthew 22:36-38

November 10Love Fulfills the Law: Romans 13:8-10

November 11Idolatry: Colossians 3:5

November 12Idol Factories: Romans 1:21-25

November 13Two Paths: Jonah 2:8-9

November 14Don’t Return to Slavery: Galatians 3:8-9

D E V O T I O N A L O U T L I N E

Week 2Destroying Our Idols

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9 Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will

be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as

we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Many of us have no idea how to pray. Outside of kneeling beside our bed at night and saying, “Now I

lay me down to sleep . . .,” we’re clueless. It’s no wonder that even the disciples asked Jesus to teach

them how to pray. What he gave them (and us) we now call the Lord’s Prayer. For thousands of years,

Christians have been using it as a framework for their own prayers. Verse 9 shows us that we should

open up with praise and thanksgiving to God. Verse 10 leads us in acknowledging God’s sovereignty

over all things, that the coming of his kingdom is the answer to all our problems. Also, it leads us

to proclaim that we understand that his will is the best thing for us. Verse 11 shows us we are to

ask God to supply us our needs and the needs of those around us. Verse 12 signals repentance and

asking forgiveness for our sins while forcing us to reflect on where we need to forgive others. And

finally, verse 13 is asking God to protect us from the evil forces in the world. The Lord’s Prayer can be

used as a framework for any prayer of any length.

Learning Prayer From The Master

Father, you are far exalted above all of us, your name is greater than any other name. I ask that you

would establish your kingdom soon and that you would answer my prayers according to your will (1

John 5:14). I ask, Father, that you would look after all my needs today and those of my family. Please

forgive me of my sin according to your promise in the gospel, and show me where I need to forgive

others. And finally, protect Mercy Hill from the temptation and evil that wants to undermine the

work we’re doing for your kingdom. Amen.

Prayer

READ Matthew 6:9-13

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6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known to God.

There is great benefit in having a scheduled time of prayer and bible study. But here in verse 6, we

are pointed to a cue that tells us it’s time to pray: anxiety. Anxiety is the feeling that we are headed

off of a cliff; it’s the fear that comes along with the thought, “I might not be able to handle what’s

coming.” But verse 6 tells us to use prayer as a weapon against anxiety. We might not be able to

handle what’s coming, but God can. That’s why we are instructed to turn our anxieties and worries

into prayer requests. Also, we are not just told to pray for a solution, but we are to thank God for

what he has done and what he will do. When our anxious prayers are met with joyful thanksgiving

in the God who has the power and wisdom to answer any request for our good, we’ll find that we’re

given the strength to endure.

Anxiety As Prayer Fuel

Caring Father, I regularly let my anxieties get the best of me. Instead of praying, I let fear consume

my thoughts and either face my worries by running away from them or trying to handle them on

my own. You desire that I would ask for your help in all situations, and I pray that your Spirit would

remind me that you are willing and ready to help anytime I pray. In Jesus name, Amen.

Prayer

READ Philippians 4:6

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7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your

prayers.

Our behavior is often determined by what time it is. If we are at the end of a work day, we choose

not to start a big project; if we are taking an exam, we start writing furiously with only five minutes

to go; if we are in old age, we start thinking about how our possessions should be divided. Peter says

here that the end of all things is at hand. And that is the entire tone of the New Testament—ever

since the resurrection, we’ve been living at the end of all things (1 Corinthians 10:11; 1 John 2:18). Of all

the things that Peter could have said about living with the knowledge that the end is near, he says

first to be self-controlled and sober-minded for prayer. This means that we aren’t to freak out or be

anxious but realize that God is in control of everything. Since we know the time is short, our prayers

should be filled with praying for unbelievers to be saved, for persecuted Christians to endure to

the end, and for schisms and fighting in our church to be reconciled. Desire for the mission of God

across the world should permeate our prayers.

What Time Is It?

Lord of history, there are many times that I do not realize that I live near the end. I allow the

pleasures and worries of life to distract me from what time it is. But the end is near, and there are

many people who do not know your salvation. Lord, may I be ready to share Jesus with those around

me, and may you send more workers boldly into the world, bringing the gospel of your kingdom

with them. Amen.

Prayer

READ 1 Peter 4:7

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25 To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. 26 Lift up your

eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them

all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing.

27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is

disregarded by my God”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting

God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is

unsearchable.

Before we meet with someone—no matter whether that person is a stranger, the queen of England,

or our mother—we work out in our mind who that person is and what they are like. This information

determines how we interact with them. In Isaiah 40, we see a stunningly rich picture of who God

is. He is incomparable and holy (verse 25); Creator, Sustainer, and Namer of the stars, mighty and

powerful (verse 26); everlasting, Creator of everything, tireless in his work, and far wiser than all

human wisdom combined (verse 28). This is the God who reigns over the universe, and surely, we

would be just as foolish as Israel to assume that God does not know how we live and what is in our

hearts (verse 27). This is the God we approach in prayer.

The Greatness Of God

All-knowing Creator, when I look at the order of the universe, your power, and your wisdom, I should

be drawn into deep worship because of who you are. But I often live my life as if you don’t exist or

that the troubles in my life deserve far more of my attention. I ask that you would open my eyes to

your greatness that I may worship you in truth daily. Amen

Prayer

READ Isaiah 40:25-28

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4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. 5 The boastful shall

not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. 6 You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD

abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

Imagine that you are a good tennis player, reigning champ of your local tennis club. Then, you play

against Serena Williams. The chances are pretty good that you will look like you don’t even know

how to play the game; you won’t even be in her league. Increase this distance infinitely, and that is

the distance between God’s moral perfection and ours. That’s what God’s holiness means: he is in his

own league of moral goodness. There is no darkness in God at all (1 John 1:5). Wickedness disgusts

him; evil cannot be in his presence (verse 4). And we naturally think of evil in terms of murder and

stealing, but included here are boasting and lying (verses 5-6)—evil that none of us are innocent of.

And this Psalm says that God hates all evildoers. God is wrathful against sinners, and we have no way

to stand in his presence in prayer because of our sins. “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of

the living God” (Hebrews 10:31 NASB).

The Holiness Of God

Holy God, I cannot stand in your presence because of my many sins. I am quick to discount how evil

my sins are and repeatedly commit the same sins that I’ve asked forgiveness for before. You would

be completely right in cutting me off from yourself eternally. But because of your grace, you have

made a way for me through the sacrifice of your Son who absorbs all the wrath my sins deserve, so

that I can stand in your holy presence. Allow me to see my sin in the way that you see it that I may

understand how great your salvation is. Thank you, Amen.

Prayer

READ Psalm 5:4-6

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3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them

yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his

kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to

repentance?

Consider that you had an invisible tape recorder around your neck that recorded every moral

judgment you made about someone else (“It is right for Bob to do this; it is wrong for Bob to do

that”). If, at the end of your life, God played the tape and judged you against what was recorded

on that tape, you would be declared guilty.i We do the very things that we judge others for doing

(verse 3). So how do we expect that we can stand against the judgments of a holy God? We often

think that since God hasn’t judged us yet and has been patient with us, that his grace will eventually

win out, and there is nothing to worry about. But God’s kindness is meant to lead us to repentance

(verse 4; cf. 2 Peter 3:9). Christian repentance is a changing of our mind about our sinful lifestyle in a

way that changes the direction of our life; it’s a choosing to turn our back on our current path and

walk Jesus’ path instead.

The Kindness Of God

Righteous Lord, your judgments against my sin are true. I hypocritically judge people for things that

I do as well. I thank you for your patience and kindness toward me. I am aware that these are meant

to continually draw me to repent of my sin. Thank you for sending Jesus who makes repentance

possible—without him there is no true repentance. Amen.

Prayer

READ Romans 2:3-4

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11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce

ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present

age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus

Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a

people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Country singer Linda Gail Lewis was asked if she was ever afraid of going to hell after growing up

in an extremely conservative church and then choosing to live the wild life of a touring musician.

She said, “I’ve just always felt like that Jesus forgives us our sins . . ..”ii We likewise deceive ourselves

into this type of thinking—unconsciously using the gospel to feel safe in our sin. But the Scripture is

clear: the grace of God that is seen in the gospel (Jesus’ redemption and purification) trains “us to

renounce ungodliness and worldly passions” (verse 12). God saves us and sets us on a course of self-

control, godliness, and good works (verses 12 and 14). When we accept the gospel and continue in

the ways of our old life, we display that we haven’t allowed ourselves to be trained by the grace

of God.

The Grace Of God

Gracious God, your word says that I was redeemed for you and your work and not for myself and my

desires (verse 14). Impress this truth upon my wandering heart. Show me the good works that you

desire for me to walk in that I might be able to hold my head high at your appearance, my great

God and Savior, Jesus Christ (verse 13). Amen.

Prayer

READ Titus 2:11-14

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19 We love because he first loved us.

This short statement is profound. Just as the sun is the cause of heat, so God’s love is the cause of

our love. John is making it clear that without God’s love of us we would not be able to love others

(whether God, our brothers or sisters in Christ, our neighbors, or our enemies). But sometimes we

don’t feel like God loves us. In those times, we can always look back and see the clearest display of

God’s love on the hill of Calvary. “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent

his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved

God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10). If we

want to return to our first love, we must come to and reflect on the one who loved us first.

The First Love

Loving Father, I so often can’t feel your love. In those times, guide my eyes to the cross and the

gospel. Help me see that you have stamped your love for me on the pages of history two thousand

years ago. Thank you for not sparing your only Son so that I might have life. Lead my heart back into

the comfort of your presence and joy, so that I might spread your love to the world.

Prayer

READ 1 John 4:19

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36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love

the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the

great and first commandment.

When thinking about our first love, first can mean the love we had at the beginning, or it can mean

an object that is our primary love. And what Jesus points to as the most important commandment

is that God is to be our primary love—we are to love him with our whole being. While we may think

it strange for God to command for us to love him (as we often think that love just happens), we are

to remember the love we had for God when we came to believe the gospel and sacrifice everything

to fan into flame the affections of our heart, life, and mind. He has also given us the Holy Spirit who

loves to love God and wants to help grow our love. Are there practices you have that make God shine

bright in your heart as the treasure that he is? Do these things. Implement daily habits that stir your

affections for God, and never stop pursuing that love. God seeks a love from us so great that every

other love of ours looks like hate in comparison (Luke 14:26).

Our Primary Love

God, whom I love, you know all the times that I have let my affections be pulled away from you by

the things of this earth. Forgive me for all the times that I have disobeyed this very great command.

Please empower me and lead me by your Holy Spirit to love you more deeply and sweetly as each

day passes. In Jesus Christ name, Amen.

Prayer

READ Matthew 22:36-38

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8 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the

law. 9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not

steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall

love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of

the law.

The Christian life may be one of the most difficult lives to live because it is a forsaking of one’s own

desires and life to pursue the desires and life of Jesus. But while it may be hard to practice, that

doesn’t mean it’s always tough to understand. The Christian life is summed up in the commands

to love God and neighbor. To love our neighbor means to care about the needs of our brothers

and sisters in Christ above our own; it means to be active in caring for the poor, oppressed, and

stranger; and it means praying and acting for the good and salvation of everyone—even our enemies

(Matthew 5:44). Paul’s point in this passage in Romans is that the Christian who is constantly

thinking about how to love God and love others needs not fear that they are missing anything. Love

is what the law pointed to the whole time; it is the fulfilment of the law (verse 10).

Love Fulfills The Law

God, you loved the world by sending your only Son to die for sins and to invite everyone into

salvation. This is your heart for the world, and those of us who believe in your Son should share this

heart. Grow my love for everyone, especially those in the church, and train me to think of myself less

and others more. Amen

Prayer

READ Romans 13:8-10

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5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and

covetousness, which is idolatry.

When we think about idolatry, we tend to think of people bowing to little stone statues. But

the apostle Paul shows here that idolatry actually extends far beyond that. He flatly says that

covetousness (i.e. greed) is idolatry. So what is idolatry really? An idol is anything, that’s not God,

that we pursue to bring us ultimate happiness, satisfaction, security, and wholeness. When our idols

grant us these feelings, we are on cloud nine; when they are taken away or betray us, we are sent

into despair. So, you can see how covetousness is an idol. It is a desire to gain or hoard possessions

for the purpose of gaining those ultimate feelings mentioned above. We can also say that career,

family, sex, respect, influence, and relationships are popular idols in our day. In order to put our

finger on our idols, here is a test question: Of what (besides God) am I saying, “If only I had that, then

I’d be complete,” or, “If I lost or never received that, I don’t know if I could go on living”? That thing is

an idol that must be put to death.

Idolatry

Father of lights, you know my heart better than I do. Shine your penetrating light into it, show me

what my idols are, and give me the strength to put them to death daily. Amen.

Prayer

READ Colossians 3:5

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21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they

became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they

became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and

birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts

to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the

truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is

blessed forever! Amen.

John Calvin said, “[W]e may gather that man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols.

Man’s mind, full as it is of pride and boldness, dares to imagine a god according to its own capacity

. . ..”iii And that is exactly what we see from Paul’s portrait of humanity here. When Adam and Eve

sinned in the garden, they wanted to be gods themselves, and this set all of human history on a

course of looking to worship anything besides the true Creator God. And God has given humanity

over to these enslaving idols to rule us (verse 24). This is deep within our sinful nature. Even Christians

have to understand that sin sticks closely and could be working behind the scenes to create an idol

in our hearts that we may one day find ourselves worshiping.

Idol Factories

The one and true God, only you are to be worshiped! Oh how I know that and yet, I still sinfully find

myself worshiping other things. As Jesus taught us to pray, please keep me from evil! Without your

grace I would surely be led astray by idols my entire life. I need you God. In Jesus name, Amen.

Prayer

READ Romans 1:21-25

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8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. 9 But I with the voice of

thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the LORD!”

In thinking back to last week and our topic of the love of God, we see here that in Jonah’s prayer

(while he was in the belly of the big fish) he ties idolatry to the love of God. It’s as if Jonah paints

for us a picture of two paths: to the left is idolatry; to the right is the love of God. Jonah declares,

“Salvation belongs to the LORD!” (verse 9) as his affirmation that he knows that down the path of

idolatry is death but down the path of God’s love is salvation. Like Jonah, we must choose between

these two paths. And may we, like Jonah, declare with “the voice of thanksgiving” that salvation

belongs to the Lord!

Two Paths

Lord, salvation belongs to you! Help me to be able to say that with thanksgiving and joy and a firm

resolution to travel the path of your love even in the hardest moments of my life—just as Jonah was

in the belly of the fish when he shouted it. Amen

Prayer

READ Jonah 2:8-9

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8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9

But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back

again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be

once more?

It seems ludicrous for former slaves who have experienced full, sweet freedom to turn and desire to

return to slavery. Yet, that’s exactly what Paul says people do when they think about how much they

miss the idols of their pre-Christian life. But this is a habit that is engrained in our sinful nature. In

order to fight these desires, we must reflect on the God whom we have come to know; even better,

who has known us. To be known by God is to be loved, saved, adopted, and called by God. God has

made our bodies the very place of habitation for his Holy Spirit; he knows us completely and still

loves us. None of our past idols can offer anything close in comparison.

Don’t Return To Slavery

All-knowing Lord, I am so quick to look back with rose-colored glasses upon my former way of life

apart from you and the idols I served. How could I have experienced such a great salvation and yet

forget that you have fully known and loved me? Drive your love deeper into my heart that I might

never forget. Amen.

Prayer

READ Galatians 3:8-9

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2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3

“You shall have no other gods before me.”

Every covenant that God makes, and the requirements for obedience that come within them,

are always given after God’s grace and salvation. Abraham was called out of paganism (Joshua

24:2-3) before God covenanted with him (Genesis 12, 15, 17); Israel was saved out of slavery in Egypt

before God gave his covenant and law to them (Exodus). And we see that God grounds his first

commandment in the salvation he provided (verse 2). It is the same way with us who have been

saved through Christ’s work. God worked to redeem us in Christ, and we are then called to obey in

faith and good works. God purchases us for his own possession (1 Corinthians 6:20). If we have come

into the service of God, we can’t serve idols because we belong to God.

No Other Gods

Gracious God, you always move for your people first. You loved me first, you have known me first,

you sent Christ while I was still your enemy (Romans 5:10). You have pursued me and saved me; why

should I want to run to another master? Thank you for all you’ve done. Help me cherish you more

than anything else today and every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer

READ Exodus 20:2-3

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4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will

not pour out or take their names on my lips. 5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold

my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

Sometimes we can look at the success, fame, happiness, wealth, etc. of those who are not Christians

and wonder whether God has forgotten us. It can tempt us into the mindset that the world’s

gods might be better. But we must, like King David, choose God as our portion and our cup of

blessing. Later on in Psalm 16, David will proclaim that in God’s presence there is “fullness of joy”

and “pleasures forevermore” in his right hand. When we recognize God as sovereign (he “holds our

lot”), we will also see that along with God’s salvation provided in the gospel, we have a “beautiful

inheritance” (verse 6). We await the resurrection of our bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:17) and a flourishing

new earth that we will co-rule over with Christ (2 Timothy 2:12) forever and ever. We have a great

inheritance indeed.

My Portion And My Cup

Father, I have regularly doubted your goodness towards me as I look at the success of others. Forgive

me, God. You are my portion, and I want to desire you above all else. The inheritance that you have

promised me is beautiful, and in your perfection, you cannot break your promise. Let me rest in your

love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer

READ Psalm 16:4-6

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21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

For someone who wants to stop eating sweets, one of the best techniques is to get the sweets out of

the house. And the one who is serious about it won’t wait until their current sweets cabinet naturally

empties but will throw them out right away. This person is actively creating boundaries between

them and the object of their temptation. When it comes to idols (e.g. possessions, respect, sex,

relationships, etc.), we need to actively guard ourselves from the temptation to rely on these things

(or people) for ultimate fulfillment. We need to discover what our triggers are and stay away from

them. We also need to cultivate habits of submitting ourselves to God and his love every day. We

must remember that it is in our nature to produce idols, so we need to stay on guard against things

that are trying to win our heart.

Healthy Boundaries

God of my protection, it is only in your power that I might escape the idols that are constantly

pursuing my heart. Give me wisdom through your Spirit on how I might best keep myself from them

and pursue worship and love of you instead. Amen.

Prayer

READ 1 John 5:21

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23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross

daily and follow me.”

Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and

die.”iv That’s exactly what we see in verse 23. Many of us, at our baptism, declared that we would do

whatever Jesus calls us to do and go wherever Jesus calls us to go. Yet, after that, we are not just left

sitting and waiting for a call; our baptism is our answer to a call already made. Jesus has called us to

lay down our very selves, even any aspirations to walk our own path, and to walk the path that he is

walking—the path of self-sacrificial love for others in obedience to God. As verse 23 says, the decision

to take up our cross and walk Jesus’ path is made daily. We must choose every morning upon

waking to pick up the cross and continue to follow our Savior.

Daily Cross-Bearing

God, you have called me to take up my cross and follow Jesus, but I confess that at times I grow

weary and feel that the cross is too heavy for me to bear. There are days when I do not choose to

take up my cross. Remind me by your Spirit that you are with me until the end of the age (Matt

28:20) and that Jesus has walked this path before me. In his name I pray, Amen.

Prayer

READ Luke 9:23

N O V E M B E R 1 9

61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus

said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Imagine someone who is hired as a machine operator at a manufacturing plant to run one of the

most important machines on the line. If, after about ten minutes on the job, he comes up to his

boss and says, “I need to go visit my relatives in another state for a time,” the boss’s reaction would

look similar to Jesus’. It would go something like this: “Why did you even apply in the first place if

you were going to leave ten minutes in?” Jesus’ response shows the seriousness of his call to follow

him and work for his kingdom. In the Western world, we are often deceived into thinking that

Christianity is just some traditional practice that we weave into our schedules on Sundays and

maybe Wednesdays. But the call of Jesus is radical; it demands the entirety of our time.

The Seriousness Of The Call

Worthy God, you are deserving of my entire life. I can find my commitments to you to be overbearing

and stifling of the plans I have for my life. Please show my heart that Jesus is worth every minute of

my life. Amen.

Prayer

READ Luke 9:61-62

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25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from fall your uncleannesses, and from

all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within

you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will

put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

The past two days may have weighed heavily on us as we realize that we don’t feel like we have

the strength or ability to serve Jesus the way he calls us to. And the truth is, in ourselves, we don’t.

But God, in the gospel, has given us the Spirit he promised in verse 27, and he is constantly at work

shaping us into Christlikeness and giving us the power for obedience. Even in our weakest moments,

the Spirit is at work getting us to trust God, hope in him, and pray for his help. He has also removed

the stain of our old life of idol worship and our hard heart so that we may be free to continue

pressing on in his service, even if, at times, we slip and fall.

The Promised Spirit

Gracious Father, you know everything about me. You know that I can’t do what you ask of me

without you empowering me to do so, and you have done just that! Help me to rely on the Spirit

whom you have given me for my help. You are the only God who not only calls but also empowers

your people to obey. Praise you! Amen.

Prayer

READ Ezekiel 36:25-27

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7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss

because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the

loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.

Sixteenth century theologian Thomas Cranmer wrote a book called The Expulsive Power of a New

Affection in which he argued that, in trying to love something less, it is worthless to convince the

heart that that thing is not worthy of love. Rather, one must dangle something in front of the heart

that is more loveable and desirable than what it already loves. The greater treasure will drive out

the love that exists for the lesser thing. This is what happened to Paul. He loved his old life. Yet,

after he met Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), all he cared about was knowing Jesus more

and more (verse 8). His old life was worth nothing more to him than trash (“rubbish”) after seeing

the “surpassing worth” of Christ. Seeing and loving Jesus Christ as the most glorious and beautiful

treasure we could ever receive is the only lasting motivation to strip away our love for our old life and

the world and to fight lukewarm Christianity.

Ultimate Motivation

Glorious Lord, I have seen glimpses of your value and worth, and yet, I can be led astray by rubbish.

Continue to pour out your love into my heart (Romans 5:5) that I may see clearly that nothing

compares with you, and you are truly the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:46).

Prayer

READ Philippians 3:7-8

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29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those

who have wives live as though they had none, 30 and those who mourn as though they were not

mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though

they had no goods, 31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For

the present form of this world is passing away.

Much of what Paul says here is exaggerated for effect, but his purpose is clear: the present form of

this world is passing away (verse 31), so make sure your heart is in the next. Think about a sports team

that has no chance of making the playoffs. Towards the end of the season, their dreams for hoisting

the championship trophy are pushed until the next season. It is the same with the dealings of this

world. There might be some enjoyment in a win here or sadness in a loss there, but neither should

ultimately affect us; something better is coming. Marriage is good and beautiful, but it is being

replaced with the ultimate marriage of Christ and the church. So, husband and wife should be

pursuing a healthy marriage for the sake of their sanctification and kingdom advancement. Buying

things and enjoying the fruits of our labor can be a God-honoring thing, but the things of this earth

will pass; rather, we should pursue good works which will not be left unrewarded in the next life.

Before Christ, our hearts were stitched to the world, but Christ has set them free. Paul’s point is that

we should be stitching them to the New Heavens and New Earth and not here, for everything here is

passing away.

Living In Light Of The End

God of history, you are bringing this age to a close. What has become important here is worshiping

you, pursuing holiness, and advancing your kingdom. Stir my heart for the things that are coming.

Amen.

Prayer

READ 1 Corinthians 7:29-31

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19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves

break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust

destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart

will be also.

In a bit of a continuation from yesterday, we see that Christians are told by Jesus to be concerned

with storing up their treasure in heaven and not in this life. In fact, what we see in this passage is

a direct refutation of the prosperity gospel which says that God’s ultimate desire for us is financial

prosperity. God has made no promise to protect possessions on this earth (moth, rust, and thieves

wreak havoc), so why ought we to pursue it as our goal? But he has promised to keep our treasure

secure in his kingdom (1 Peter 1:4). The wisest Christians place their love and passion into the

kingdom of God and bring signs of the kingdom to this world through sharing the gospel and

serving others’ needs. A passionate Christian heart is found in eternity with its Savior.

Where Is Our Treasure?

Father, in my heart of hearts, I know that nothing in this life lasts or ultimately satisfies. But I could

do a better job of keeping my mind and heart on the kingdom that’s to come. Help me to daily

cherish the promises you’ve given me in your word. Amen.

Prayer

READ Matthew 6:19-21

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5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue

with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and

steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with

love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or

unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The great danger of lukewarm Christianity is being fruitless. When we don’t take our Christian walk

seriously, we are wasting our ability to be used. Peter sets out some elements that we can pursue

to make sure that we stay healthy and fruitful. When Peter says to “supplement” these things, he

is encouraging us to pursue all these things for the sake of supporting the others. Virtue is living

by God’s morality, knowledge is the knowledge of God and his will that we gain through reading

Scripture with the Spirit, steadfastness is taking up our cross daily, and godliness is to live in the

world as God would (i.e. Jesus). The fascinating thing is that all these things that Peter tells us to

pursue, God supplies us in his grace. So, in our pursuit of these things, we must rely on prayer.

Traits For Fruitfulness

Giver of all good gifts, I know that I have none of these qualities that I might be fruitful. But you have

promised to provide your people with these things. God, I ask that you supply them in whatever

measure I need to be useful to you. Thank you. Amen.

Prayer

READ 2 Peter 1:5-8

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13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in

him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we

acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

God gives us a clear sign, in our daily lives, that he has destined us for eternity. It is the presence of

his Holy Spirit. When we believe the gospel, we are given the Holy Spirit and sealed for eternity (verse

13). So, if we have seen evidence that the Holy Spirit has been working in our lives [one example is

seeing unnatural growth in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness,

and self-control (Galatians 5:22)], then we are guaranteed an inheritance in the kingdom of God.

And all of this happens to the praise of God’s glory (verse 14).

Sealed For Eternity

Gracious Father, I don’t deserve your salvation, but not only have you given it to me freely, you have

guaranteed me eternity through your Holy Spirit. Your love for me is unexplainable. All I can do is

praise your glorious grace! Amen.

Prayer

READ Ephesians 1:13-14

N O V E M B E R 2 6

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every

weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before

us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before

him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow

weary or fainthearted.

Imagine loading a runner down in a race with a thirty pound backpack. It seems safe to say that if

the other runners are prepared, the bulky runner has no chance of winning. Such is the race of the

Christian life. Not only are we called to lay aside our sins (which is obvious) but also “every weight”

(verse 1). Anything that slows us down from pursuing Jesus and his call with everything that we have

must be stripped away. And when our legs start to tire and cramp, and our breath begins to give

out, and people start to boo and heckle us because we are running in the opposite direction of the

rest of the world, we must see that Jesus endured all of this with joy for us. And he has completed

the race, won our salvation, and is seated on his throne, helping us and waiting for us to complete

our race. Let’s run with endurance (verse 1).

Running The Race

Lord Jesus, you are the perfect example of endurance through suffering, and you did it on my behalf.

Thank you. Fuel me when I am weak, and show me your love when I’m hated by the world. Amen.

Prayer

READ Hebrews 12:1-3

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4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance

and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

Reading a great biography can often stir its reader to avoid the failures of the subject or pursue

similar things that they had success in. In the same way, we are sometimes pointed by Paul to learn

not to follow the example of the failure of the Israelites in their being quick to run away from God (1

Corinthians 10:6-7). Or, we are reminded of the promises of God and the faithfulness of God’s people

in the past (Hebrews 11). The most astounding thing about what Paul says here in Romans is that all

of these things (the entirety of the Old Testament) were “written for our instruction.” Believers can

find great fuel for endurance and hope in the many covenants, promises, and dealings of God in the

Old Testament. We would be foolish to neglect God’s word as he has had it written for us.

Endurance From The Word

God, you are not like idols that cannot speak. You have revealed yourself to me through your word,

the Bible. Not only have you written a book, but you have written a book for me. Still, I sometimes

neglect to read it for weeks at a time. Give me a deep desire to read and understand your word that

I might gain the hope and endurance that you intended to give me through it. Amen.

Prayer

READ Romans 15:4

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3 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing

of your faith produces steadfastness.

It is said that the quickest way to learn something is to fail. There is a lot of wisdom in that

statement. Failing hurts; yet, it is within the hurt that knowledge is formed. James, the brother of

Jesus, says that it is the same way with trials. Trials are hardships, suffering, and persecution, and

they hurt. But it is within the hurt that steadfastness (endurance) is forged. James doesn’t stop

there but takes it even further and says that Christians are to consider our trials as joy! How can we

see trials as joy? It’s in knowing that in the darkest periods of our life, the Spirit is at work in us to

produce the endurance that we need to endure like Christ.

Joy In Suffering

Sovereign God, when people shame me, my friends stab me in the back, death visits someone close

to me, work gets overwhelming, or I am persecuted because of my faith, I can find it hard to trust

you. Help me to remember that you control whatever happens in my life. And if I am going through

a trial, may I joyfully look to see how to press into the endurance you’re trying to shape in me. Amen.

Prayer

READ James 1:2-3

N O V E M B E R 2 9

4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has

overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes

that Jesus is the Son of God?

In his messages to the churches in Revelation, Jesus promises rewards to the “one who conquers.”

What does it mean to conquer? John tells us: it is someone who overcomes the world by believing

that Jesus is the Son of God (verse 5). This means that Christian endurance is the fight to hold firm to

our a faith in the gospel, no matter what occurs. This is how we conquer.

The One Who Conquers

Caring Father, help my unbelief (Matthew 9:24)! Since the moment I came to believe the gospel, my

faith has acted like a boat on a stormy sea, going up and down. I know that had you not sustained

my belief, I would not have endured as long as I have. Please remember that it is your will that Jesus

Christ holds me to the end (John 6:39). I know you will be faithful to what you have promised me

and will count me among those who have conquered the world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer

READ 1 John 5:4-5

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7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is

laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on

that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

2 Timothy is known as Paul’s last letter and was probably written very soon before he died. His words

in verses 7 and 8 are instructive of how a mature Christian thinks when they near the end. For Paul,

fighting the good fight means to continually battle the things that tempt one’s heart here on earth

and to pursue the righteousness and holiness that exists in eternity (1 Timothy 6:11-12). Running the

race is to serve God with all one has that they might hear, “Well done my good and faithful servant”

at the resurrection (Philippians 3:12-15; Matthew 25:21). Keeping the faith is holding on tightly to the

gospel message (see yesterday’s entry). Paul knew that because his master was faithful, he himself

would be rewarded for his faithfulness with the crown of righteousness. Not only does he receive this

crown, but everyone who longed for Jesus to return (verse 8). This crown is stored up for those who

constantly pray, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20). For it is those servants who long for the

master to come home who will faithfully endure while he’s gone (Luke 12:35-48).

A Christian’s Last Words

Lord and master, you are worthy of my entire life. How I deeply desire to serve you with all of my

being, and yet, I feel too weak for the task. I know that you equip those you call, God, and I ask that

you give me a fullness of Spirit that I may serve you faithfully to the very last second of my life. I know

this world will only be set right when you return, so I say, “Come, Lord Jesus.” I long to see you. Amen.

Prayer

READ 2 Timothy 4:7-8

i Francis Schaeffer, The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer: A Christian Worldview, Volume 4, A

Christian View of the church pg. 41ii https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=651407691iii John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, I.II.8iv Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

End Notes