40 DAYS OF ASCENSION DEVOTIONSINTRODUCTION
I am asking our church to participate in the 40 days of the ascension of Jesus Christ. The ascension of Jesus is a significant event in Christianity marking Jesus’ return to heaven after his resurrection. This moment is not just about leaving the earth; it symbolizes the completion of Jesus’ earthly mission and the promise of spiritual presence through the Holy Spirit. For the next 40 days, I am asking you to sacrifice, to give up one thing that you are fond of, maybe sweets, or a television show, Facebook, etc. and replace it with prayer and devotion. I have challenged our staff to write scriptures, devotions, and prayers of encouragement to share with you. Our church will also be observing the Lord’s Supper for the next five Sundays following Easter. I hope you participate with us even if you watch online. Bro. Jim Week One Prayer Guide April 21 – By Jim Bennett, Pastor Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Devotion: Have you ever had someone tell you something that changed your whole day? Maybe someone told you something that changed the direction of your life. Perhaps, it was just some encouraging words on a hard day or maybe someone shared their story, their experience, or even worse…bad news. I have found that words can be a powerful tool to change our outlook on life for both better and worse. The Bible tells us to encourage one another and build each other up. This means we should use our words to honor God by showing love to others. April 22 – By Chip Owens, Associate Pastor of Education Scripture: John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Prayer: Father, as we celebrate this Easter season, we thank You that you gave us Your Son to shine light on the truth, to reveal to us the way, and to bring to us hope in a new life in Him. Give us, every day of our lives, awareness and understanding of the depth and breadth of Jesus’ sacrifice for us on the cross and deepen our devotion. We pour out our hearts in gratitude for Him, the Gift of Gifts, Jesus. Amen. April 23 – By Jerry Tallent, Associate Pastor of Bible Study Scripture: Philippians 3:10 – “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings,” Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the powerful resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for that same power that is given to me that I may have everlasting life with You in heaven. Thank you, Heavenly Father, that Jesus comes to dwell in my heart by faith, and that I can know the love of Christ which passes knowledge. O, that I may know Him and the power of his resurrection and be able to have fellowship with Him every day of my life. Amen. April 24 – By Deana Good, Children’s Church Director Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Prayer: Lord, thank you for your promise of peace that transcends all understanding. Help me to cast my anxieties and worries on you, and to trust in your guidance and provision. May your peace guard my heart and mind, as I seek to live in accordance with your will. Amen. April 25 – By Beth Bennett, Minister of Music Scripture: Psalm 51:10-13 “God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit. Then I will teach the rebellious your ways, and sinners will return to you.” Devotion: King David knew he had done wrong and his witness was tainted. He sought God and the joy that comes from God. We too find ourselves in a pit at times. Let these verses lift you out of the pit of sin, and seek the God of our salvation. Ask him to restore the joy we once had so we can teach others His way. Prayer: Lord, show me Your glory. Restore the joy of our salvation. Help me to teach and guide others in Your ways. Amen. April 26 – By Ron Shrum, Custodian Scripture: Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Prayer: Jesus, we thank you for this promise. Help us as Your children to appreciate Your greatness and the love given to us by You. Lord, we love You. Amen. April 27 – By Alisha Moore, Secretary Scripture: Deuteronomy 31:8 “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Prayer: Dear God, Thank You that I never have to handle anything alone, be afraid or discouraged because I know that You are right beside me. I am so glad that You know what is happening in my life, and You already know the outcome, and You have promised that You will be with me through everything. Thank You for guiding me and comforting me through all of my circumstances. Amen. April 28 – By Deana Good, Children’s Church Director Scripture: Psalm 91 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.” Prayer: I ask for Your divine protection over my family, my friends, and all those I hold dear. Keep us safe from all forms of danger and sickness. Amen. April 29 – Alisha Moore, Secretary Scripture: Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Prayer: Lord, I pray that I will always seek Your will in all areas of my life and in all of my decisions. I pray that my heart will always be in tune with what You have planned for my life, and I thank You for your guidance in my life. I pray that I will not try to take control away from You, but will always let You direct my path. Amen. April 30 – By Chip Owens, Associate Pastor of Education Scripture: Luke 5:12 “and it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Prayer: Lord Jesus, we were once like this leper – foul and monstrous in our sin. Yet You did not turn away when we came to You seeking renewal. We pour out our gratitude for this beautiful and loving act of mercy. Thank you, Lord, for though we were once separated from the Father through the stain of our sin, we are now cleansed. Praise Your Holy Name! Amen. May 1 – Jeannette Tallent Prayer: Dear Father in Heaven, I come boldly to your throne today because of the blood of Jesus shed on Calvary to gain my salvation and the privilege to all you “Father”. Please cleanse me and fill me with your Holy Spirit that I might be clean to serve in your name today. I ask you to shed your light in the hearts of my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, that they might each one worship You from this day forward. I pray for those who are yet to be born, that they too will become believers. To God be the glory. Amen. May 2 – Jim Bennett, Pastor Scripture: John 16:33 “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Devotion: I have found in my personal walk that if I am going to encourage others, then I must also have hope and be filled with encouragement. In John, the Bible tells us to take heart because Jesus has overcome the world. Since Jesus has conquered the world, we are able to find hope and peace in Him. Our future, despite how mysterious it may feel, is already known to Him and that alone should encourage us. May 3 – By Beth Bennett, Minister of Music Scripture: John 13:34-35 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Devotion: Jesus gave these words to His disciples before He was crucified. He lived His life loving people. If we want to be like Jesus, we too must love all people. Prayer: Help me to love others as You do. Keep my mind focused on who you are and my activities to be like You. Amen. May 4 – Jim Bennett, Pastor Scripture: Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Devotion: We should enjoy the Lord – not just serve Him out of obligation. If you have a friend that you enjoy being with, you spend time with them because you like being with them. You are not obligated to be around them. God gave Himself to us so that we could enjoy Him and choose to love Him. It is a mistake to view God as an obligation. Serving, worshiping, and prayer are privileges. Spending time with God is a privilege. We should never look at it as a duty. We are not doing it for God’s sake, but for our sake. How would you like it if your friend or spouse only spent time with you because they felt obligated? Friendship and marriage are about being with someone you enjoy. God wants you to draw near to him because you enjoy being with Him - not because you are forced to. This is why God gave us a New Covenant, based not on law, but on His grace and our trust in Him. Prayer: Lord, I pray today that I will enjoy your goodness. Amen. May 5 – By Josh Swanson, Sunday School Teacher Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Devotion: Paul pleaded for the Lord to remove the “thorn” in his flesh, but God instructed him that what he wanted was not what God intended. May we today not look at the things that hinder us as a weakness and look at them as moments God can work His power through us. May 6 – By Chip Owens, Associate Pastor of Education Scripture: Matthew 4:16 “The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and the shadow of death, Light has dawned.” Prayer: Father, when we lived in darkness, we did not know the Light, but we thank You that the Light has dawned in our lives – the Light who will never dim nor set in the west, and who will guide and illuminate our path through this darkened world. We stand in awe of Your Light, Lord! Amen. May 7 – By Jim Bennett, Pastor Scripture: Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Devotion: Encouraging others does not have to be a difficult task. Every time we interact with people, we have an opportunity to share encouraging words. Some words of encouragement might just be a comment regarding their work or their day, but other times it may even involve sharing the gospel. Some simple examples include:
May 8 – By Alisha Moore, Secretary Scripture: Psalm 139:33-34 “Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there is any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. Prayer: Father, I pray that You would show me all of the sins, thoughts, and actions that stand in the way of my relationship with You. I ask that you would cleanse my heart and show me anything that I may have done to cause other people pain. I pray that I would never be the cause of someone not finding their way to You. Please help me to strive every day to be more like Jesus. Amen. May 9 – Ron Shrum, Custodian Scripture: Proverbs 12:18 “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Prayer: Lord, help us to be mindful of our words. Give us wisdom when we speak to not be mean or harsh, but to be kind in spirit. Amen. May 10 – By Beth Bennett, Minister of Music Scripture: Matthew 6:26 “Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?” Devotion: We sit back and worry about what we will eat, what we will wear, or how we will get to the next appointment. This scripture asks us, ‘Aren’t we worth more than the sparrow to God?’ He takes care of all His creation and that means you. Next time you see a bird and hear his song, be reminded he has no care in this world. He trusts the creator of Heaven and Earth to take care of him. Prayer: O Lord my God, help me to have the strength and courage to trust you for all I have and all I need. Your love is eternal. Show me your glory today as I walk this path of life. Amen. May 11 – By Alisha Moore, Secretary Scripture: Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Prayer: God, thank you for all of the mothers and fathers that are bringing their families to church and teaching them the Word of God. We pray that they will always remember what they are learning and will grow to be strong Christian men and women. Amen. May 12 – Jim Bennett, Pastor Scripture: Isaiah 40:31 “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” Devotion: Encouragement and putting our faith in God lead to finding renewed strength. This does not mean we will always feel strong or that we can always make others feel better with our words. In fact, sometimes we may feel the opposite. However, it does mean that as we place our hope in the Lord, we know there is someone we can rely on who is encouraging us as we are going through it, even in difficult times. May 13 – By Byron Edens, Church Member Scripture: Matthew 28:5-6 “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” – John 20:15 – “…she supposing him to be the gardener…” Devotion: Mary Magdalene was the first person Jesus appeared to after His resurrection. Mary was so emotionally overwhelmed on Resurrection morning that she didn’t even recognize our Lord Jesus standing there in the full power of the resurrection. JESUS WAS PRESENT, BUT UNKNOWN! WHY DID MARY NOT KNOW HIM? I believe that four things were happening to her. 1)She was dazed by despair! 2) She was blinded by tears! 3) She was distracted by unbelief! 4) She was misguided by grief! As we serve the Lord we will go through those same times of despair, tears, unbelief and grief! Let us ALWAYS realize that Jesus is close by. He is with us in salvation, temptation, disappointments, and all the problems of life if we just turn to him! Jesus is alive forevermore! Prayer: Dear Lord, let us know your resurrected power for our everyday living to help us through the problems of our life that we may know how to overcome despair, tears, unbelief and grief! You are not dead, but alive forevermore. Lord, let us depend upon your power to live our everyday lives. Amen! May 14 – By Jerry Tallent, Associate Pastor of Bible Study Scripture: Romans 13:11 “And that, knowing the time, that now it is time to awake out of sleep, for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for giving me and all the church the knowledge of salvation because Jesus died for me on the cross and He arose again. I believe His word and trust You to save me from all my sin. Now. Lord, I thank You for the knowledge of knowing that the day of my salvation is nearer than when I first believed many years ago. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen. May 15 – Jim Bennett, Pastor Scripture: 1 Peter 4:11 “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.” Devotion: When we speak what the Bible says, we are speaking the very words of God. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:29, ‘Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.’ James 4:11 says “Do not speak evil of one another…” and Titus 3:2 says “speak evil of no one”. You are responsible for what you say. My Grandma used to say, if you cannot say something good, then don’t say anything at all. Prayer: Lord, please help me to keep quiet unless I have something to say that would be acceptable to you. Amen. May 16 – By Alisha Moore, Secretary Scripture: Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Devotion: There is a song that I love called “Flowers”. In this song, the lyrics talk about how when we are in a valley in our lives and we don’t understand what God is doing, He is planting seeds in others around us and “flowers grow in the valley”. Remember in your difficult circumstances that others around you are watching your response, and your faith in God can be a powerful witness to others. Prayer: Lord, help me to remember that when I do not understand Your will and when I think that the situation looks hopeless, I should not give up on You. You are working all things for my good. Help me to trust in Your plan. Help me to be a witness to others around me in good times and in bad times. I pray that my response will always glorify You and that others may come to know Christ through my testimony. Amen. May 17 – Jim Bennett, Pastor Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed or broken. We are perplexed, but we do not give up or quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.” Devotion: I don’t know what you’re going through or what winds of testing might be blowing in your life right now, but God’s got this. It may feel like you’re at the end of your rope, but we are never at the end of our hope. God never abandons us. Our trials are opportunities for Jesus to demonstrate His power and presence in us. And believe me, the enemy wants you to feel defeated. He wants you to think things will never get better and that you’ll always stay stuck. Prayer: Lord, Jesus, I choose to believe Your promises, trusting in Your timing. Help me to walk in faith, even when I don’t see anything changing. I know You’ve got this! Amen. May 18 – By Beth Bennett, Minister of Music Scripture: Proverbs 24:13-14 “My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Devotion: While honey is sweet to the taste, wisdom is sweet to the soul. When we seek wisdom from our Father in Heaven, our souls are filled with the sweetness that can only come from Him. Our words and actions take on an entirely new appearance. Our hope is in Him. Prayer: Lord, let my mind soak up the sweetness of Your wisdom. Let my words and actions show the compassion of Christ. Amen. May 19 – By Patricia Grisham, Youth Leader Scripture: Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Prayer: Lord, I get so busy with the day-to-day things of life that I often do not give you the time and attention you deserve. Help me to be constantly in your presence and in your word. Make a need to learn more about you burn in my heart. Give me the courage and strength to continue on when I am weary. I thank you that you have promised me that you will be with me always. Remind me to look up and be reminded of your faithfulness. May 20 – By Beth Bennett, Minister of Music Scripture: Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a stronghold in a day of distress; He cares for those who take refuge in Him.” Devotion: Nahum was predicting the destruction of Nineveh. He knew that God was good, but would not tolerate evil. The Lord is good and is our stronghold. He cares for you. Let go of the false strongholds you are clinging to and cling to the Rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ. Prayer: Lord, help me to release the false strongholds I have built in my life and cling to you and you alone. Amen. May 21 – By Jim Bennett, Pastor Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know that plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Devotion: Genesis 37 tells the story of Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers. I’m sure Joseph didn’t think God had a plan – at least not one that was good for him. Joseph must have thought like many of us have “Why God, did you let this happen to me?” But things looked clearer to Joseph later when he was ruling Egypt and was able to save his entire family from starvation (Genesis 45-50). Often times, life may seem confusing and out of control. Don’t worry or get down. God has a plan for you which He is working out. If you could only see the end He has in mind for you – you would begin to rejoice and thank God. Prayer: God, I know you have a plan for me, and I will trust You to work everything out in my life. Amen. May 22 – By Jerry Tallent, Associate Pastor of Bible Study Scripture: Leviticus 16:12 “And he shall take a censer full of burning coals from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail.” Prayer: Dear Lord, may I be a censer having a fire burning from Your altar. May my life produce sweet incense, after You have purged me from all filthiness of the flesh. I offer to You the sacrifice of praise and giving of thanks to You for all You have done for me. Help me to do good and to encourage others for this is well pleasing in Your sight. Amen. May 23 – By Alisha Moore, Secretary Scripture: Psalm 16:11 “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Devotion: Many people think that happiness comes from wealth, success, and worldly pleasures, but we look at people who have achieved fame and fortune, and usually they are unhappy and searching for something more. They seek it in expensive houses, cars, and jewels, drugs or alcohol, or in being “famous”, but often they are quoted later in life saying that no matter how much they owned or how many awards they won, they were never happy. We know that what they are searching for is the joy that only comes from knowing Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Let us strive to seek Jesus first and store up treasures in heaven, and He will be our joy and happiness. Prayer: Lord, please help me to find my peace, joy, and purpose in You and not try to find happiness in earthly things. Amen. May 24 – By Beth Bennett, Minister of Music Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4-9 “Listen Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road when you lie down and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your city gates.” Devotion: The Shema was repeated by the Jewish people daily. We too should take God’s words and write them on our hearts. We need to read them to our children. If we see, read, and reflect daily on God’s words, our day will be focused on Him and not on ourselves. Prayer: O Lord, help me to write Your words on my heart that I may reflect Your glory to those around me daily. Amen. May 25 – By Jim Bennett, Pastor Scripture: Psalm 32:10 “Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in Him.” Devotion: God controls and allows every detail of our lives. Nothing happens without His knowledge and approval. I have noticed that in life, things change without notice, and it is not the big things that change that get to me. Don’t misunderstand – they are bad – but it is the small irritations that bother me. We can choose to let these obstacles upset us, or we can rest in the knowledge that God lovingly ordained them as small irritants to help us look to and rely on Him. For example, we can grumble about the frustrating traffic jam that is keeping us from getting somewhere on time, or we can remember the God knows about our deadlines and view the time sitting in traffic as an opportunity to pray. We can complain, or we can rejoice. Prayer: Lord, may we allow the knowledge that we continually surrounded by your unfailing love to show us your love in our lives and to chase away our complaints and fears. May 26 – By Jim Bennett, Pastor Scripture: John 4:10 “Jesus answered, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” Devotion: A few years ago, I planted azaleas in our front yard, and every time I have planted azaleas in the past, they have died. But this time, I learned that azaleas require a lot of water, so I installed an automatic sprinkler system, and it has been an eye-opening experience for me. It has made me realize just how often azaleas needed water. And it’s helped me learn the hard way that azaleas will simply die without a continual water supply. As I watched the sprinkler the other day, it occurred to me that, much like those azaleas, we continually need to be watered. We need to be watered each and every moment of our lives. We need to draw from God’s Living Water – His Life. Prayer: Lord, help us to continually draw from your Word, fellowship, worship, and prayer to grow strong amid the scorching heat and searing winds of life. May 27 – By Beth Bennett, Minister of Music Scripture: Habakkuk 3:17-18 “Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no herds in the stalls, yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” Devotion: Habakkuk had prayed that Judah would be spared from the total annihilation. When the conversation between him and God was over, he knew that no matter what happened, he would still praise God. He says “YET”. Can you respond with a “yet”? Will you celebrate and praise God no matter what happens? Prayer: O Lord, help me learn to praise you even in the hard times. Give me the confidence to say no matter what, yet, I will celebrate in the Lord. Amen. May 28 – By Patricia Grisham, Youth Leader Scripture: John 8:12 “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing the light of life to us. Thank you that we no longer have to walk in darkness. Instead, we are dazzled by the glorious light of Your Son. Help me to stay on the path of light and not be persuaded to veer off into dark alleys. Guide my every step so that I may be a reflection of Your light to others. May 29 – By Beth Bennett, Minister of Music Scripture: Mark 9:42 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away – it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Devotion: This scripture is the first part of a warning from Jesus. He tells us to be sure we disciple and help the young Christians. Do not cause them to fall because of our bad choices. The life we lead in Christ is always observed by those around us. Make sure you live according to the example set by Jesus. Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to always put you first so my witness will be one that points directly to Jesus. Show me how to live my life to encourage new and young followers. Amen. May 30 – By Jim Bennett, Pastor Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:8 “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.” Devotion: I picked up my grandson from school the other day, and as we were driving to my house, which is about a 20-minute drive, he kept asking, “Poppy, are we there yet? Are we there yet?” I would say, “No, not yet.” But as we got closer, he started to recognize the scenery and he would say, “We’re almost there now.” That is certainly how we should feel as Christians! We have so many things in this world that are going on around us. There are dozens of distractions. Things in this life will drag us down and cause heartache. Yet, we know that this world is not our home. It is simply temporary. Our focus and mind should be on what lies ahead. We know that Jesus could return at any time. As the scriptures say, only He knows the day and hour. As we think about the things that lie ahead and how soon Jesus could return, our mindset should be “almost there”. Prayer: Lord, whatever I am going to face today, I am reminded by Your Word that I am almost there. No matter how difficult it may be or how challenging it seems, the storm may be raging, and it may feel as though all hope is lost. Lord, I know I am almost there. |
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