January 6 – 26

We begin this new season seeking spiritual breakthrough in our life, in our church, and in our communities. We do this through 21 days of prayer & fasting as we intentionally seek God’s will so that we can recognize the power of God doing something new in our lives.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Begins January 6: Commit to prayer and fasting with us for 21 days as we seek spiritual breakthrough in our lives.
Daily Devotionals: Join us weekdays January 6-26 in the Be Hope App for a time of devotional and prayer together.
Gathered Prayer: Join us Tuesday evenings on January 7, 14, and 21 at 6:30pm for a time of worship and prayer. We will come together as a church to worship and pray expecting God to do something new.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Begins January 6: Commit to prayer and fasting with us for 21 days as we seek spiritual breakthrough in our lives.
Daily Devotionals: Join us weekdays January 6-26 in the Be Hope App for a time of devotional and prayer together
Gathered Prayer: Join us Tuesday evenings on January 7, 14, and 21 at 6:30pm for a time of worship and prayer. We will come together as a church to worship and pray expecting God to do something new.

PRAYER

Prayer is our communion and communication with God. Every time we pray God draws us closer to himself.

In 21 days, we deliberately seek for God to move in our lives. We trust he will and we know he will strengthen our relationship with him.

There are many ways to pray – you can have a conversation with God as you would with a friend, you can write your prayers down in a journal, or you can even incorporate prayer into your daily routines. Moves of God begin with great expectation of God through prayer. We encourage you to pray big, bold, specific prayers.

If you don’t know where to begin in prayer you can begin with scripture. Everyday you will be given a scripture that you can say as a prayer or you could begin with the Lord’s prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13.

FASTING

WHAT IS FASTING?
Fasting is denying yourself something in order to hear from God. You can fast from food, television, social media, etc..

When we choose to purposefully abstain from something for a time, our dependence upon God grows.

When groups of people fast together, at, let’s say a church like Be Hope, we can expect God to move in new ways as we seek his will for our church and over our lives.

DAILY DEVOTIONALS

Day 1 - January 6th

Devotional:

Week 1: “First God, Then…”

Romans 12:1-2

Welcome to 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting! This season we are in the series, “First This, Then That.” So today, on Day 1, we will start with “First God, then…,” and then we get to fill in the blank. What has God done in our lives? What has God done in your life?

Romans 12:1-2 says,

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

This verse reminds us that we need to renew our minds, and the only way that we renew our minds is through God’s Word. In some of my years of life (and I’ve had quite a few years of life) I figured out a few things. I’ve always known that my best time of the day is early in the morning, so I’ve always done my devotions early in the morning, but there was a time in my life when running and exercise became really important in everything I did.

I would get up early in the morning and I would exercise, and I would run, and then I would come back, and then my girls would be up, and then I’d have to do breakfast for them and get them ready, and then it’s the end of the day and I had not spent any time with God. I realized that something had to change because my life was falling behind, because I was suffering the consequences of not being with God first. I had to recognize that in order to renew my mind, God had to come first, and then I could fit everything else in. I changed everything that I did. If I was going to exercise early with my friends, or if I was going to go running early, I set the time to get up an hour earlier.

I put God first, and then everything else fell into place. I learned that when I put God first, then everything else falls in my schedule the way it should and falls into importance the way that it needs to. It was this powerful moment that I remembered I need to put God first, and then everything else on my schedule will work. I’ve learned that through time. I’ve learned that through trying it out. And I’ve learned that through trial and error. What is it that you can do to put God first and see what can happen next?

Prayer:

God, would you be with us today? Thank you for this day that you’ve given to us. Thank you for this day and this reminder that when we put you first, then other things fall into place. God, would you just be with us in everything that we are doing and that as we are putting you first in our conversations, our relationships, and in everything that we do, that you would you show us the way to put you first, and then we can experience everything else throughout the rest of our day. Amen.

Thank you for joining us today for 21 Days! Tune in tomorrow and we’ll have another devotional for you. Join us every Tuesday night at 6:30pm at each location as we gather together to worship, have a devotional, and pray together during these 21 Day of Prayer and Fasting.

Day 2 - January 7th

Devotional:

Week 1: “First God, Then…”

Romans 12:6-8

Hello and welcome to day 2 of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting! This week we are going through the idea of “First God, Then…” fill in the blank. We need to seek God FIRST, and then we take steps forward from that. God is speaking to each and every one of us and has created a unique calling on our lives.

I love what it says in Romans 12:6-8,

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

God sees YOU, God is calling YOU, and God has equipped YOU with a specific gift to fulfill His calling. All you have to do is ask Him what His will is, and He will use you. Last year I felt that calling from God, that I should use my gifts and talents for His purpose. At the time I was working in marketing for a big company. I was confused, I didn’t know how God would use me in this way. Advertising for a church? Sounds sketchy, but I sought His will first. I was open to this small call I was feeling even though I didn’t know what it meant. He took this openness and made it clear to me that I needed to work for this church. My calling was to share Him with as many people as possible, to show them who He is, to reach people that have never heard about Him, and to show them what church is.

God took a small opening in my heart and opened doors and opportunities for me to step into. He just needs you to be open, to seek His will and He will do more with it than you thought possible, or that maybe you didn’t even consider, like me. Take that first step, ask God “what do you want FROM me?”. It sounds simple but see what God can do from that.

Prayer:

God, we thank you for seeing and calling each and every one of us, for equipping us for your plan. Help us to seek you first and to pursue your will. We are excited and expectant for what you have for us, and for how you will call us during this 21 days. We thank you, and we love you. Amen.

Day 3 - January 8th

Devotional:

Week 1: “First God, Then…”

James 4:13-15

First God, Then… Recovery!

In James 4:13-15, it says, “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”

This tells us that we cannot and are not ultimately in control of our lives. In verse 15 it says, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” What we gather from this is that God ultimately decides what trajectory our life is going to take. Sure, we may say or do things that may not be in His will, and good might come out of that, but living in His will and direction wholeheartedly will ultimately lead to success and growth in our life. Giving your whole life, total devotion, over to God is essentially what this passage is trying to tell us. Sounds pretty simple, right? Fully relying on God and trusting in Him isn’t always easy. Humans can be selfish. Humans can be impatient, and we might not want to wait on God. We try it on our own, instead of depending, and sometimes waiting, on Him to direct our paths.

So, what are we chasing? Business growth, a significant other, a newer car, a bigger house? Those goals aren’t necessarily a bad thing, but if we chased God and a relationship with Him as much as we do temporal things, we would be trusting in Him to bless us and help us accomplish our goals along the way.

5 years ago, I was in active addiction. I had been for years, and I covered it pretty well, but God knew. I went through the motions of asking God to take the desire of the pills away, but then that would mean I couldn’t get my “fix” and I might have to deal with the past that had held me down for years. I would give the addiction to God but take it back when I hit a rough patch. Very few people knew, or maybe they had an idea and just didn’t approach me about it, so I went through it alone. No one’s fault but mine.

God promises us in Hebrews 13:5 that He will never leave us or forsake us, but I had forsaken Him. Until I gave this addiction over to Him and left it at His feet, nothing changed. Well, I left it there and never looked back, and a lot has changed. A renewed relationship with my kids, a new outlook on life, a desire to help others to get freedom from what is holding them back and directing others to a personal relationship with God.

For me, “First This, Then That” means first I had to totally surrender my addiction to God. I had to be serious. I had to want freedom more than I wanted the pills. I had to want God to control me, more than I wanted the control. Here comes the good part… then that! Then God took control, picked up this addicted man, cleaned me off, set my head straight ahead so that I didn’t look back, and He walks beside me.

This is what I desire for you. Give EVERYTHING in your life to God. Don’t take back little pieces. First God! Then freedom.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you for giving us the ability to trust in you. Give us the willingness to give everything to you, to totally depend on you with our pain, our worldly desires, everything we struggle with, so you can make us whole and set us on the right path. Amen.

Day 4 - January 9th

Devotional:

Week 1: “First God, Then…”

James 4:8

Welcome to another day of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting! I want to take a few minutes to share something that’s been on my heart lately. You know, we all have this incredible calling from God. He invites us to step into His purpose, to use the unique gifts He’s given us – not because we’re perfect, but because of His amazing grace.

This calling, though, comes with priorities. It’s not something we can just squeeze into the cracks of our busy lives. It requires us to prioritize our time with God. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.” That means we can’t let the opinions of others, or the distractions of life, pull us away from what really matters. Let me tell you a little about my own journey. Back when I was in school, I thought I had it all figured out. I was convinced I knew what was best for my life. But honestly, my ego often got in the way of what should’ve been my real priorities. I was so focused on myself that I lost sight of the bigger picture – God’s kingdom purpose.

You see, it’s not about us. It’s about glorifying God and building His kingdom. When we take ourselves out of the center and put God there instead, we start to see things differently. It’s not about what we want – it’s about what He’s planned for us. When we recognize that calling, we have a choice: will we step out in faith, or will we hold back? Trust me, God doesn’t leave us to figure it out alone. He equips us for every step He asks us to take.

So, this is a divine invitation – a personal one that requires a continual response. Romans 12:3 reminds us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought but to recognize that God’s plans are so much greater than ours. It’s not about what I want. It’s about trusting what God has planned and stepping into that with faith. I hope this encourages you to step boldly into the invitation God has placed on your life.

Prayer:

Lord, I’m so grateful that you have placed upon all of us a calling and a purpose. You have gifted us with talents and gifts that you are going to use in this world for your Kingdom. God, I pray that each and every one of us would have the strong desire to draw near to you so that you can be the center of our decision-making and our lives. Amen.

Day 5 - January 10th

Devotional:

Week 1: “First God, Then…”

Matthew 6:33

Hey Be Hope Family! Welcome to another day of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. This week we have been talking about putting God first and setting our priorities with him. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When we seek after his kingdom first, in everything we do, God provides us with everything we need. When we seek Him first, our faith becomes stronger, and we grow into a deeper relationship with Him. This verse reminds us of the true importance of seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness above everything else. When we seek the things that put God first and make it a priority over all the things of the world, He adds everything to us.

At the start of the new year, a lot of us stress and worry about the things of the world, feeling hurried and forgetting at times to make God the priority. When we slow down and take the time to be in God’s presence, we begin to have a sense of peace, joy, purpose, and clarity. We find solutions to problems that we have been facing in our everyday life.

We should give God our first and our best because He gave us His best, His son JESUS. Here at Be Hope, Pastor Brad always encourages us to take the first five minutes of our day to spend time with the Lord. When I don’t take the first five minutes of the day to be with God, I feel worried, I feel stressed, and I can’t seem to get my thoughts together. But when I give Jesus my first five minutes of the day, I find peace, I find joy, and then find gratitude during my day, and I feel so much closer to God. When we put Him first, we see life change, relationships get stronger, and Jesus draws closer to us. His light shines over the darkness. His light is everything we need in this world. His light is what keeps us going.

When you truly seek after God, he provides everything that you need. When we put our trust in Him and give Him everything we have, He is going to do something greater than you can even imagine in your life. I would encourage you to seek after God and make Him the priority in your life. Continue to meditate on His word and the love that He provides us, and let his presence flow into your life as you enter this new year.

Prayer:

Lord, I pray that you give us wisdom, encouragement, and strength during this new year. Help us to seek you first in everything we have, to gain hope and clarity from you. Amen.

Thank you for joining us today for 21 Days! Tune in next Monday and we’ll have another devotional for you. Join us every Tuesday night at 6:30pm at each location as we gather together to worship, have a devotional, and pray together during these 21 Day of Prayer and Fasting.

Day 8 - January 13th

Devotional:

Week 2: “First Take A Step, Then Learn to Trust”

Joshua 3:9-15

Welcome back to another day of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting! Not only do I hope you have enjoyed it so far, I hope God has been able to speak directly to you throughout this fast. Today, for our devotional, we’re going to talk about the idea that first we have to take a step, and then we are able to trust God. In the story that we’re going to be looking at today, Joshua 3, as Joshua is leading the Israelites to the Promised Land, they get to the point where they have to cross the Jordan River.

God gave Joshua the plan on how to cross the Jordan, and his job was to communicate it to the Israelites. This is the message that he conveys to them in Joshua 3:9-13, “Joshua said to the Israelites, come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord – the Lord of all the earth – set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and it will stand up in a heap.”

This is a pretty big test right now for Joshua and for the Israelite people. He was just told by God to tell his people that as they start to walk in the river, it will stop flowing. While yes, he might have some doubts, it’s pretty easy to trust if you get this message directly from God. But as we begin to look at the Israelite people, they’re in a situation where they didn’t get this direct communication from God. They didn’t get this from God himself. They got this from Joshua. Yes, they trusted Joshua, but they had to be thinking, “how in the world is this going to happen?”

Though they might have had questions, they moved forward and in verses 14-15 it says, “So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at a flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.” See, in this moment, the priests who are carrying the ark learned how to literally take a step and then see God work.

While I may not have a specific encounter like that, I definitely know what it is like to take a step before finding out what God has in store. Back in the Spring of 2021, while I was in the lowest season of my life, I decided to start serving. I originally signed up to mow grass in the summer, but while I was meeting with the person in charge of that team, the conversation quickly went from mowing grass to an internship opportunity that was available. Since I knew I needed to grow closer to God, I figured being around church people all summer would make me a better person. Fast forward three and a half years, I now get to lead the ministry I interned for. Was I qualified? No. Did I read my bible every day? No. Did I think I was worthy enough to be in that role? Absolutely not. But, because I was willing to take a step of faith, God was able to take complete control of my life and give me a calling that no person can take away from me.

My encouragement to you would be this – whether you know what the outcome is going to be or not, step into it, because I can assure you, and I can promise you, if you are able to trust God enough to just take that step, He’s going to continue to show up time after time after time.

Prayer:

God, we’re so grateful for who you are. We’re grateful that even in the moments of uncertainty, even in the moments where we don’t know what the outcome of a certain situation is going to be, you are still there, and we are able to trust you in all of those situations. God, as we continue to go through life, as we continue to go through the day, I pray that you give us the ability to take steps forward towards you, knowing and believing and holding onto the hope that is in your Son, Jesus. We love you so much and it’s in your son’s name we pray. Amen.

Day 9 - January 14th

Devotional:

Week 2: “First Take A Step, Then Learn to Trust”

Joshua 3:3-5

Welcome to another day of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting! We are in Joshua 3 this week, and something I really love about Joshua is that he is such a strong leader. He was always listening to God and then obeying Him. He had a level of trust in God that was particularly unique. I suspect a good reason for that was because he had walked with Moses. Joshua got to be the right-hand man to Moses. Moses had all sorts of miracles happen from the time he was standing before Pharaoh and along the way through the desert, and he heard from God directly. Joshua got to see those things. Joshua had a front row seat of learning and understanding of what it meant to listen to God and then to obey him. Through that, he learned how to trust God as well, and to walk intimately connected to the Lord.

In Joshua 3, we see that the Israelites are camped next to the river named Jordan, and they are getting ready to cross over to the promised land. You might think that the promised land was promised to Moses, but it actually goes all the way back to Abraham. It was a promise that God made with Abraham that his descendants would occupy this land. We don’t see it right away, but we see that after all this time, Joshua gets to be the leader that leads all of these Israelites over into this promised land. He had already been there, and he had scoped it out. He had seen that this is going to be good, even though a lot of other people doubted it. When others saw the scenario, they said it looked impossible. When Joshua saw the scenario, he said, “we got this.”

They’re getting ready to go and Joshua 3:3-4 says, “giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. THEN you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

Now this is what I love, that as we do this, then that will happen. I love it when the scripture kind of lays this out for us. He says, when you see this happening, you have an obligation. Get up and go, then you’re going to know where to go. You don’t know the way ahead of you, you don’t know what’s going to be out there. You’ve never been this way before, but you are going to know, because that ark of the covenant was a representation of the presence of God and of His great power. And if you’re following after that, that’s going to lead you in the right direction.

I love it when scripture says you don’t know where to go, but follow this, then you’re going to find out. I love that because there’s been times in my life as well when I felt like God was leading me somewhere, but I had no clue where I was going. There was so much uncertainty and so much unknown. But at the same time, if I go back a couple of chapters, God had told me in this book as well to be strong and courageous because I’m going to be with you. It didn’t really matter where I was going, and it didn’t really matter what I was getting into. What mattered is that God was with me and that he was always going to be with me no matter where I went, so I could trust him. My challenge in trusting him is to just take the step that I need to take, because he’s leading me somewhere, and I know that he’s got my back.

Further in Joshua 3:5 it says, “Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”” I don’t think Joshua even knew clearly what was going to happen, but he knew who his God was, and he had seen his God time and time again, doing incredible and amazing things. He does miracles. He makes a way where there’s no way. When these priests stepped out into the Jordan River, God caused the waters to literally stop and pile up before the waters got to where they were. The people walked across the river on dry ground. God was about to do something incredible. I believe deeply that if He did it then, He can still do it in my life and he’s going to do it in your life.

So here’s what I want you to remember today… do this, then that. Your “do this” is just take this step, whatever it is that God is asking you to do, then trust and know that amazing things are ahead.

Prayer:

Father God, thank you so much for this time. Thank you for the people who are just obediently following after you, who are seeking you in this time. I ask that you make yourself so very known to them. That your presence is just as abundant among them, and that their lives are changed. Change us and edify through this time, Lord, and may your will be done in our lives. Give us the courage to follow you no matter what that looks like. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Day 10 - January 15th

Devotional:

Week 2: “First Take A Step, Then Learn to Trust”

Joshua 3

Welcome to another day of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting! This week we are looking at the idea that we should first take a step, then learn to trust. We see stories in the Bible where people have to step into something without fully knowing what they are stepping into and what’s going to happen once they do it.

In Joshua 3, as Joshua and the Israelites were getting ready to cross the Jordan, they knew how important it was to make the move to cross the Jordan River even though they had no idea where to go. All they knew was to follow the priest that was carrying the Ark of the Covenant. Once they saw him move, they were to move and that’s how they would know which way to go. It’s not always that easy to put your trust in something, especially when you don’t know the outcome.

For me personally, I had to make a decision like this, this year. For some of you, if you are fairly new to Be Hope Church, probably only know me as the worship pastor at the Beavercreek campus. Those of you that have been around a little longer know me as the worship pastor at the Beavercreek campus, but also probably know me as the former kids’ pastor. You see, 2024 involved a lot of serious conversations with God. Ones that I tried to avoid and blow off. For most of my life, I have really liked music, but I hesitate to say I “really loved music” because I didn’t know if I did. I come from a very musical family, and I always felt like I struggled to figure out my place in all of it. I always sang in church, and over the years, I had led worship for youth bands, and would sing in church on occasion, but my passion was always serving with kids and their families.

There had been times in the past where a worship pastor job would open up and I would consider it for like 5 minutes, but then move on. Well, this time was different. Here I am, the happiest I have ever been in my adult life, doing a job that I believed God created me for, and then an opportunity came that I could not seem to move past this time. For a job I had never done before! But in the midst of this decision, one that would really alter my life forever, God made it so clear to me that this is what He wanted me to do. He was telling me to just take this step, and He would take care of the rest, I just needed to trust Him.

There were so many things I was uncertain of, but God has been at the center of everything over the last 6 months and will continue to be at the center of everything. I’ll be honest with you, not a day goes by when I wonder if I did the right thing, but God will give me subtle reminders that this wasn’t a decision I made on my own. He was right there with me and hasn’t left my side since, and He will do the same for you.

Prayer:

Dear God, we are so thankful for the calling you put in our lives. I pray you give us guidance in these moments and allow us to take these steps of faith, even if we don’t know the outcome. We love you and we are so thankful for how you are going to work in our lives in this season. Amen.

Day 11 - January 16th

Devotional:

Week 2: “First Take A Step, Then Learn to Trust”

Joshua 3:14-17

Hello and welcome to another day of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting! We are continuing our “First This, Then That” series, and this week we are focusing on “First take a step, Then learn to trust.”

Have you ever had to take a leap of faith or make a decision that didn’t make sense in the natural but felt like God was leading you in a direction you couldn’t quite explain? I have been there. After months of interviewing for a job, I was certain I had found the perfect place to work – another church that seemed like a great fit. They had everything I was looking for. The job was right; the location was right; the people seemed wonderful. I even visited the church and thought it would be my next step.

But during my visit, something shifted. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first, but I felt unsettled. Even though everything seemed perfect, it wasn’t right. It was like God whispered to my heart: This isn’t the place I have for you. I had to choose uncertainty over security. But I had to trust that God had something better in mind.

This decision mirrors the story of the Israelites in Joshua 3. God called His people to step into the Jordan River, a fast-moving river at its highest, most dangerous point, and God tells them to step into it. They had to move forward without knowing how it would all turn out, trusting that God would part the waters once they took that first step.

Sometimes the hardest part of faith isn’t the waiting, it’s the first step, and that first step is arguably the hardest, but the most important. What is a situation in your life right now where God might be asking you to take a step of trust, even though you can’t see the outcome? Are you waiting for all the details to line up perfectly before you move forward, or is God calling you to step out in faith, even when it doesn’t make sense? How can you lean on God’s faithfulness in moments of uncertainty, trusting that He will part the waters, even if you can’t see the way yet?

Prayer:

Take a moment to write out your own prayer of trust. Be honest with God about the fears, doubts, and uncertainties you’re facing. Ask Him to guide your steps and help you trust Him with the outcome, even when it doesn’t make sense. Reflect on the steps God may be calling you to take, and then pray that prayer.

Day 12 - January 17th

Devotional:

Week 2: “First Take A Step, Then Learn to Trust”

Joshua 3:5

Welcome to Day 12 of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. I am thankful that we get to be together today while we support each other and grow in our faith with God. Today as we continue to read through Joshua 3, we are reminded to first take a step. In other words, take that courageous action and then learn to trust.

In Joshua 3:5 it says, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” What does that mean? It means to commit one’s time and attention to something. So, it’s uncanny as during this time of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting we are committing our time and actions in an intentional way. We have many things we want to accomplish. This could range from something small to something really grand! Whatever it may be, these possible obstacles may be distancing you from God and you felt compelled to take the first step so that ultimately you can see and be aware of the amazing things God has in store for you.

We all find different reasons and different times when it may be necessary to take the first step. Mine came in my recent past career. I love Higher Education, running a college, creating an experience for students, training people, and empowering them to be the best they can be, while achieving the goals they had created for themselves. I loved the fast pace, the recognition, the personal growth, and the travel to create awesome experiences and opportunities. So how could this be a time that while I felt on top of the world that I also felt like a complete failure? The thing is, I was focused on my success and what I could do, and quite frankly did not at the time thank God enough for giving me the opportunity for being in the position I was in.

How could I be so happy while feeling like a complete failure? The thing was it was all about me. I would even try to justify to my family the quantity and importance of my role, but I was missing out on what was important. I spent less time with my family, going over kids’ schoolwork, listening to what happened in their day. If they became sick, I would not take off work as my wife would. The distance I traveled to and from would not allow me to help in the spontaneous life events. It was not just about our kids though. I found myself consumed and not talking to my wife, not asking what was important to her, how she felt, how her day was or what was happening with her job.

Once I realized that it was not about me and that I was failing, I needed to act, or as we are talking about, “take that first step”! I made the decision to start looking, and while I hoped to stay in the same career field, I knew that may not be possible. Fast forward 6 months and many applications, I found a new career and was in a completely different field. This was the opportunity to be a better father, husband, and person to hopefully find more harmony in life. While this was necessary and I wanted it for all the “right reasons,” it was not easy and didn’t magically make it easier. I still focused or thought of the job I loved and made a difference at, and not the opportunity I had to be better!

For me, it is a continued work in progress. At the same time, I’m grateful to have more time to be present, and the time to do not only what was needed but do the things that I wanted to do so that I could be more engaged with my family. I continue to ask God while stepping out to open my eyes, my ears, and my heart to what he has in store for me.

While that may be my leap of faith, or how I resonate with stepping out, I believe each of us here today have something that could be holding us back from doing what we want, being who we want to be, or taking that first step. I’m here to say, don’t let the enemy tell you lies, and I am so thankful to have such an amazing Be Hope Family to support, encourage, and hold us accountable so that we can live each day in a way that would please the Lord.

Prayer:

Dear God, grant us strength to face the unknown, to be bold and courageous, to lean into discomfort while knowing that we have each other and have you guiding us each step of the way. Please allow us to remain committed and consistent with our choices, understanding that while the enemy may seek to derail us, we have a greater strength found in you to keep us going. Please wrap your loving arms around this world so that your comfort, compassion, and peace is felt daily. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Day 15 - January 20th

Devotional:

Week 3: “First Ask, Then Receive”

Mark 11:12-17

Hello and welcome to another day of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting! I hope you have been encouraged and continue to be courageous in what God has been calling you into in this new year. Our theme during this month has been, “First This, Then That.” We have been looking at what needs to be first in our lives before we see what is next. Today, we are looking at Mark 11 where Jesus curses a fig tree and flips tables in the temple.

In Mark 11:12-14 we read, “The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.”

Jesus saw a healthy-looking tree that appeared to be producing fruit, but it turned out to only be a pretty tree with no fruit.

We then read in Mark 11:15-17, “On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

Later on as they were leaving, Peter pointed out to Jesus that the fig tree had withered overnight and Jesus’ first sentence in his response was simply, “Have faith in God.”

The temple had become like the tree. From the outside it was alive and fruitful, but a closer look shows a false representation of hope. Hope became something to be purchased and not something the people would trust from God. A transaction-based relationship with God had become the priority over a dependency on God alone. Where there was an appearance of life from the outside, the reality within told a story of empty, fruitless faith. They had taken what was meant to be a pathway to God and turned it into a pre-show ticket sale. Our faith is not something that can be bought with our own resources, talents, or gifts. Jesus was saying, “Don’t corrupt this sacred place and profit from the illusion of faith. Have faith in God – first! Pray to my Father – first! Rely on God – first!” So, it begs the question, “Where have I not asked God first?”

In the past, my faith was built on impressing others with what I accomplished in my faith. I was asking them to provide my approval but neglected the fact that God’s grace had already granted me a new life and a new identity. Those who I thought were closest to God became my idols and those idols replaced God. I thought if I gained their approval, I would receive God’s approval. These individuals were not at all corrupt or deceitful. They were really great, honest, fruitful people of God. The problem was that I didn’t ask for God’s will first. I only went to Him for what would benefit the perception of my faith. When those relationships faded over time, so did my faith and any fruit. I wasn’t able to see fruit in my life until I stopped creating a false picture of my personal faith for others to see and started going directly to God first to receive His will.

Here’s the lesson I have learned: I cannot expect to see Godly fruit in my life if the foundation of my faith is a self-made illusion. If I want to ask God to show me His will for my life, I need to ask Him. I need to listen to His answer. It’s His will after all; not my own or anyone else’s.

My hope for us today is to recognize where we haven’t asked God first, and that we have faith in Him above any of our own efforts. We need to rely on God to forgive, empower, and release us so we can courageously step into the future He has for us to become trees that produce fruit.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for the opportunity to come directly to you with our prayers. We place our trust and find our hope in you, and you alone. Lord, we ask that you reveal to us where we have not relied on you and to show us where you are leading us. Reveal to us where our lives can produce fruit for your Kingdom so that you may be glorified as we are blessed to participate and witness your work within us and around us. Amen.

Day 16 - January 21st

Devotional:

Week 3: “First Ask, Then Receive”

Matthew 6:33

Welcome to another day of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting! Throughout these 21 days, we’ve been looking at times in our faith that we had to do something (“First This”) before stepping into the next thing (“Then That”). This week, we’re talking about “First Ask, Then Receive”.

In Matthew 6:33 it says “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.”

In different seasons of my life, I have interpreted that verse to mean that anything I ask, God will give it to me – almost like a “genie in a bottle”. When I want something, I can go to God in prayer, submit my list of requests, and then wait patiently for Him to drop those things into my lap. But as my faith has grown and as I’ve stepped into adulthood, I’ve come to understand what the verse is truly saying. It’s not about getting what we want out of God – it’s actually about God getting what He wants out of us, and building our faith in the process.

My entire life, I was certain that I was going to move to New York and be on Broadway. I had it all planned out. But as I was applying to colleges during my senior year of high school, I couldn’t shake a feeling that that wasn’t where God was leading me. I didn’t know why, but I chose not to pursue theater and performing after graduation, and I had absolutely no idea what God wanted me to do instead. I spent my college and young adult years praying all the time for God to show me what His will for my life was because in my mind, I had it figured out. I took the step of faith and trusted God telling me that wasn’t what He was calling me to, but then I felt lost and clueless for almost 10 years. I prayed for 10 years for God to show me what He wanted me to do.

And now I’m at Be Hope Church and I have never felt surer that I’m where God was calling me. The prayers I prayed at 18 years old led me to this place that I’m sitting in 12 years later. Now I read Matthew 6:33 a little differently. In the NIV translation, it says “Seek FIRST the Kingdom…and all these things will be given to you as well.” I had to put my plans, my will for my life aside, and seek God’s will for my life. There were a lot of years where I watched my friends step so confidently into the things that God was calling them to and wondered why it wasn’t happening for me. But now, I look back over the last 10 years and I can see that God couldn’t bring me to what He was calling me to until I was fully ready to surrender my will for His. I had to seek His will for my life every day, every year, until His perfect timing.

So that’s my encouragement to you today: if you are in a waiting period, or a season of uncertainty of where to go next, seek His Kingdom above all else. Pray bold prayers for God to reveal His will for your life and to direct your next steps. You may not get an answer today, tomorrow, or even next year – but our God is faithful and when we surrender our own desires and pursue His Kingdom above everything else, we can trust that He will bring us to and through whatever we’re facing.

Prayer:

God, thank you for this time together and these 21 days where we can start our year focusing on you and your will for our life. I pray that we would lay our desires for ourselves at your feet and continually seek who you are calling us to be and the things you are calling us to. I pray we can step into the calling you have for our lives so we can watch you work in incredible ways. Amen.

Day 17 - January 22nd

Devotional:

Week 3: “First Ask, Then Receive”

Matthew 6:33

Be Hope Church, it’s prayer and fasting season and I hope you have been seeking the Lord and opening your heart to what He wants for you. We currently have been in this series of “First This, Then That,” acknowledging the steps we can take in order to receive the goodness that God has for each of us. This week, we are focusing on the topic of “First Ask, Then Receive.”

Today we are going to dive into Matthew 6, which contains the most famous sermon Jesus ever gave, the Sermon on the Mount. In this sermon, he’s teaching people how to live in true righteousness. As he’s teaching he’s talking about all the things of the world that the people were spending too much time worrying about and prioritizing, like what to wear, what to drink, what to eat, many of the same things you and I probably worry about.

In Matthew 6:33, he says, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” Another translation says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Jesus is telling his people to lay down all of the silly things that they spend time worrying about, seek the Kingdom of God, and they will have everything they need. The people were spending so much time worrying about their needs that they weren’t making room to let God supply everything that they needed. I don’t know about you, but this is an ongoing struggle I face when I lose sight of God’s character. This is who His word says He is. In our spirit, we know He is provider, but our flesh likes to take control and try to figure out how we will get what we need on our own when things get scary.

When I graduated high school, I was lost in my identity. I knew that I wanted to go straight to college, but I didn’t have a clue about what career path I wanted to take. In a panic, I chose a study because I didn’t want to waste any time, but I was left with emptiness and frustration with God. The more I got scared of wasting time and being left with what I saw as no purpose, I continued to choose my way and changed my major over and over again. I was seeking first my fear and worrying that my happiness was determined by security in a career. I kept coming to God with frustration, not understanding why all of the people around me had it figured out, but He hadn’t given me a career I felt peace or passion for. After so many failures in choosing my own path, I realized I wasn’t asking, I was just hoping to receive. I wasn’t truly seeking FIRST the Kingdom of God, I was seeking the worries of my flesh. The moment I realized I needed to lay down my control, ask, and receive from God, was when the peace came – and He gave me everything He knew I needed, not what I thought I needed.

We don’t always make room to listen for God’s plan when we think we know what ours should be. Sometimes seeking first the Kingdom just means to give God your trust, wait patiently for Him, and let Him add to your life what you need. Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 30. “He will give you everything you need.” God knows every need for our life. Sometimes we ask God for things, and He doesn’t give it to us – even when we seek first the Kingdom. But, if we ask Him for something and it’s not His need or desire for us, He may just be protecting us from what we think we need, but He knows won’t supply fruit for our lives. In the moment, we don’t always see, but if we trust His word, we know it says “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus”. We can have faith that He will provide what is best for us. He is faithful. Seek first His kingdom, and what He knows you need will be added to you.

Prayer:

God, during this 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, we thank you that you’re faithful. I pray we put our trust in you, and that when we ask and receive, we trust that you will give us everything that you know we need. Even when it’s not what our plan is, we know your plan is the perfect one. Open our hearts to receive from you, Lord, and give us everything we need. Amen.