[Ascend] - Day 21
“He is Coming”
Read:
Revelation 22:16-21
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
Reflection:
Going deeper is wanting more of Him. Water is essential for life. Without water, we would die of thirst, dehydration, and organ failure. Water also cleanses us, refreshes us, and sustains us. In the same way, Jesus is the living water, the source of spiritual and eternal life. Without Jesus, we would die of sin, guilt, shame, and condemnation. Jesus cleanses us, refreshes us, and sustains us.
Two-thirds of our body is made of water and we cannot go more than three days without water. Water is something our bodies constantly need and crave for survival. In the same way, we need Jesus, the bright morning star, day by day. Just like yesterday’s water can barely sustain us to tomorrow, we experience new life in Jesus with the new mercies He brings every morning.
Today is the final day of Ascend the Hill: 21 days of prayer and fasting. This is not the end but may this be a new beginning of experiencing the life-giving refreshment of His grace and a thirst for more Him daily.
Pray:
Thank you Jesus for the living water you give us without price. Come, Lord Jesus, Come!
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[Ascend] - Day 20
“He is Holy”
Read:
Revelation 4
1 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.
And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,
“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
who was and is and is to come!”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”
Reflection:
Going deeper is revering the Lord. Revere carries the meanings of: to flee, to be afraid, to honor, or to quake. Think about the wildest, loudest, most frightening thunderstorm you have ever experienced. Strong winds, crashing of thunder, blazes of lightning flashing in the sky strikes feelings of terror, concern, fear, amazement, or awe. Maybe a combination or a progression of some or all of these emotions. It is like so also in the Presence of God. The Presence elicits an undeniable response.
When we view ourselves incorrectly, as someone who is too sinful and unworthy of love and forgiveness, we may want to run away from His Presence. Out of fear, we dare not come close lest we get struck with one of those lightning bolts. When we view God incorrectly, as a tyrant who is impossible to please, we apprehensively draw near with fear and trepidation. Also out of fear, we walk on eggshells hoping not to provoke the Lord to anger. However, when we see the Lord as a loving Father full of mercy and grace, we approach the throne with honor. As we draw closer by His invitation into His Presence, our entire being shakes by His holiness and we get set free from bondages and we are able to loosen the grip of the idols we hold dear as we behold Him.
Prayer:
Lord, please open my eyes to see You rightly. I am holy because You are holy. I can boldly come before Your presence because of who You are and who I am in You. Thank You that You are a Good Father who is full of mercy and grace over me.
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[Ascend] - Day 19
“Love Deeply”
Read:
Matthew 5:43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Reflection:
Going deeper is loving beyond our boundaries. Jesus challenges us to a radical, transformative love that extends beyond our comfort zones. He calls us to love not just our neighbors, but also our enemies. This is not simply about changing our behavior. It’s about changing our hearts. It’s about allowing the Holy Spirit to so permeate our lives that we start to see people not as our enemies, but as individuals deeply loved by God. When we pray for those who persecute us, we align our hearts with God’s heart. We start to see people as God sees them, not as enemies to be defeated, but as lost souls in need of His saving grace, much like our very own selves.
Pray:
Lord, fill us with more of your love, that Your love will overflow into our families, workplaces, schools, our conversations and our church.
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[Ascend] - Day 18
“Love Deeply”
Read:
Matthew 5:43-48
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Reflection:
Going deeper is loving beyond our boundaries. Jesus challenges us to a radical, transformative love that extends beyond our comfort zones. He calls us to love not just our neighbors, but also our enemies. This is not simply about changing our behavior. It’s about changing our hearts. It’s about allowing the Holy Spirit to so permeate our lives that we start to see people not as our enemies, but as individuals deeply loved by God. When we pray for those who persecute us, we align our hearts with God’s heart. We start to see people as God sees them, not as enemies to be defeated, but as lost souls in need of His saving grace, much like our very own selves.
Pray:
Lord, fill us with more of your love, that Your love will overflow into our families, workplaces, schools, our conversations and our church.
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[Ascend] - Day 17
“Hope in the Lord”
Read:
John 14:1-7
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Reflection:
Going deeper is seeing beyond your current situation. In the midst of life’s storms and uncertainties, Jesus assures us of hope and solace in Him. Jesus goes before us to prepare a place for us in the Father’s house. Some people unfortunately, never get to experience the peace and security a home can offer. Home is a place of turmoil and strife rather than love and comfort. For a lot of young people these days, the dream of owning a place to call home seems to be just that, a dream. The Gospel reminds us that our home is not here but an eternal home awaits us, prepared by Jesus Himself. In Jesus, we have hope that despite whatever our circumstances may be today, we get to experience peace, joy, and love for eternity.
Pray:
Ask the Holy Spirit to bring someone to mind who needs to encounter Jesus as the Way, Truth, and Life.
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[Ascend] - Day 16
“Waiting on the Lord”
Read:
Isaiah 40:25-31
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.
29 He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.
Reflection:
Going deeper is waiting on the Lord. Ring, ring. Thank you for calling ____. This call may be recorded for quality assurance. Please… hold. The words of joy for nobody of having to wait. In our culture that idolizes productivity, waiting is frustrating and inefficient. It leads to feelings of anxiety, restlessness, and impatience. It creates a sense of uncertainty and is associated with missed opportunities and potential loss. Contrary to what the world may think, waiting on the Lord is not a waste of time but it comes with a promise. To wait on the Lord means we trust in His timing, in His power, and His promises. When we wait on Him, He promises that our strength will be renewed. He becomes our strength and by His power, we are able to press forward far beyond our own capabilities.
Pray:
Lord, give us the faith and the patience to wait upon You. We place our trust in You and lean not on our own understanding.
* Isaiah 40 has not yet been recorded on Whole Word Pod Cast
[Ascend] - Day 15
“Rejoice in the Lord”
Read
Psalm 16
1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
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.
7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Reflection:
Going deeper is rejoicing in the Lord. In the busyness of life, to take refuge in the Lord is to acknowledge that true joy and security are found in God alone. To choose the Lord as your cup and portion is to find joy and contentment in Him above all the fleeting and temporary pleasures of the world. Trusting the Lord and His ways is a life marked with joy and steadfastness that blocks out the noises and fears of the world. To be in His Presence is to experience and embody a joy and confidence that gives meaning and purpose to life.
Pray:
Ask the Lord to lift any burdens and to give you the joy of His salvation.
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[Ascend] - Day 14
“Acknowledge the Lord”
Read
Psalm 24
1 The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof
the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!
9 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory! Selah
Reflection:
Going deeper is acknowledging the Lord. God is with us and He works all things together for good for those who love Him. When blessings and favor come our way, it is not by luck or by our own doing. We acknowledge and give glory to the Lord. As we acknowledge His Presence and His goodness around us, we fling open side the gates to welcome more of Him into our midst and lives.
This is the motive for our fast, for His Presence to touch ourselves, our families, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, our friends, and our church community in a greater measure. How do we welcome the Presence of the Lord? By posturing our hearts to wholeheartedly desire Him above all else. By seeking first His kingdom and righteousness, we create a welcoming environment to host more of His Presence.
Pray:
Create in us clean hands and pure heart to lift You higher.
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[Ascend] - Day 13
“The Gift of Grace”
Read
Romans 6:15-23
15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Reflection:
Going deeper is making the most of our days. We all live on borrowed time. Every breath we breathe and every second that we live is an undeserved gift from God. The last breath you just took, that is a gift of grace. Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. As sinners, what we deserve, what we are destined for, is death. But it is by grace, God’s undeserved goodness toward us, that we have eternal life by faith in Jesus. We didn’t do anything and we can’t do anything to earn or convince God to give us eternal life. It is not by our righteousness, good deeds, or even love for the Lord that gives us life. If it were, that means we would get what we deserve. In our good moments we would be rewarded, and for our bad days we would be punished. All of us would be futilely striving to justify the right to live. Life belongs to the Lord and every second He appoints to us is a sign of His grace. Let us make the most of our days and live for the Lord.
Pray:
Give God thanks for His grace. As Job confessed, God gives and takes away, but blessed be the name of the Lord.
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[Ascend] - Day 12
“Keep Running”
Read
Hebrews 12:1-2
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.
Reflection
Going deeper means laying down everything that hinders us from running the race set before us. The metaphor of running the race is the Christian life. To run with endurance implies that our “walk” with the Lord is not a sprint but a marathon that requires dedication, determination, and discipline. To faithfully live, we must do away with anything that can weigh us down or trip us up on our way. This means we not only turn away from our sins but also any past hurts and wounds that handicap us from going forward. Looking back while running makes you lose speed and also disorients you when you turn back around, losing track of the finish line. We are able to move on from our past because we have the One who has gone before us and is leading us to where we need to go. We look toward Jesus, the One who completes our faith. We remain steadfast not because of the greatness of our faith but because of the One to whom our faith points towards. Our faith to endure comes from Jesus, who ran the ultimate race of enduring the cross for our sin and shame.
Pray
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anything and everything that is hindering us from running with endurance. The Lord will heal, forgive, deliver us with His gentleness to steer us on course.
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[Ascend] - Day 11
“A Pleasing Sacrifice”
Read
Ephesians 5:1-21
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,
“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Reflection
Going deeper is living a life of sacrifice. To be imitators of God doesn’t mean we strive by our own volition and efforts to become perfect and holy like God. Rather, it means that Jesus is our model for living a full and fulfilled life. He is our standard. Our lives should pattern after His. What does it look like to imitate or reflect the likeness of God? It is to walk in love. The extent of Jesus’ love was to give Himself up for us. He gave us the ultimate sacrifice, Himself, so that we, his enemies, could live. To live a life of sacrifice means we first die to ourselves. We cooperate with the Holy Spirit to say no to the things of the flesh and fill our desires with the things of God, to follow His will. Second, to live a life of sacrifice is to submit to one another. To submit means to put into order, position, or rank. It is a reprioritizing of our relational orders. It is about putting others before us just as Christ put us before Himself.
Pray
Ask the Lord for a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit that we may be continually transformed by He who is in us than the one who is in the world.
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[Ascend] - Day 10
“Holy God”
Read
Isaiah 6:1-7
1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called to another and said:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”
4 And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”
Reflection
Going deeper is encountering the Presence of a holy and righteous God. No one has the right to stand in the presence of the Lord but it is by God’s grace He invites us in to experience greater intimacy with Him. As we experience more of His Presence, two things happen. First, we see our own weakness. Before a perfect and holy God, our best behaviors and good deeds are only but filthy rags, our sins make us like withered leaves that get tossed to and fro by the wind. But despite our weakness, God draws us even closer with His kindness. He makes a way for us to go deeper with Him. As we experience more of His Presence, He takes our shame, guilt, feelings of condemnation and we begin to worship. The closer we draw to the Lord, the less we look at ourselves, and the more we see Him and in turn give Him worship.
Pray
Have you ever had an encounter with the living God? Whether you have or not, let’s not be afraid to ask for Him to reveal more of Himself to us.
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[Ascend] - Day 9
“One with Him”
Read
Philippians 2:1-11
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Reflection
Going deeper means going low, together. In the Kingdom of God, the key to unity is humility. Choosing humility is laying down my own preferences, interests, and ambitions for the sake of unity in the community. It is an act of love. It is a mindset change of me to us and I to we. This is the biggest adjustment that has to be made for newly married couples. As a single adult, most decisions made on a daily basis are all centered around the preferences, likes, schedule, timing of one person, yourself. But in a harmonious marriage, decisions have to be made with first your spouse in mind. This is the example our Bridegroom, Jesus, set for us. In humility, He became human and ultimately laid down His life on the cross, not for His own gain but so that we may live. In perfect righteousness, Jesus died on the cross so that we may be counted as righteous and have peace with God.
Prayer
Think about the humility of Jesus that drove Him to obedience, even to death on the cross. Ask the Holy Spirit for the joy that comes with humility in unity.
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[Ascend] - Day 8
“Live by the Spirit”
Read
Romans 8:1-13
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
Reflection
Going deeper means living by the Spirit. To live according to the Spirit, means to first know who we are in Jesus Christ. When we repent and turn to Jesus, we become eternally saved but not mortally sinless. By faith, our eternal destiny is secured for heaven but sin and temptations unfortunately are still an ever present reality on earth. Even in our best days, sin is knocking at the door, and in our less than best days, we leave the door open for temptation to crouch in. The good news is that despite our failures and even our constant failures, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Our sins and failures do not define us. We are who HE says we are. To live by the Spirit is first knowing that His grace is sufficient for us. We are not bound by the letter of the law but rather Christ sets us free by His righteousness.
Prayer
Are there any areas where you are controlled by flesh, rather than the Spirit? Ask the Lord to remove any sense of guilt and condemnation and allow the Holy Spirit to do a deep cleaning of your heart of sins and temptations.
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[Ascend] - Day 7
“Greatest Love”
Read
1 John 4
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 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. 10 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. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Reflection
Going deeper means growing in our love for God and for others. Love is dynamic. What we may love one moment, we may completely forget about the next. What we once disliked, we may now find desirable. To seek after and abide in the Lord we cannot help but to grow in love, as God is the embodiment and pure definition of love. As we grow in the Lord and experience more of His abounding love, our love for Him and for each other also increases and expands beyond our natural capacities and proclivities because it is His love working in us.
Pray
Ask yourself, has your love for God and for others grown from a year ago? Ask the Lord for greater revelation of His Great Love that we may individually and collectively grow in love.
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[Ascend] - Day 6
“Hunger for God”
Read
Psalm 42
1 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
6 My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
at the roar of your waterfalls;
all your breakers and your waves
have gone over me.
8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my rock:
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning
because of the oppression of the enemy?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my bones,
my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.
Reflection
Going deeper means finding your satisfaction in God. The deepest longings of our heart cannot be filled by anything this world can offer. With money, power, recognition, achievement, relationships, vacations, comfort, there is always a desire for more, for the next, for the greater. The pleasures of this world can offer happiness for just a moment. Only in God, can we be completely satisfied.
Pray
Pray for an increased hunger in ourselves and our church for more of God.
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[Ascend] - Day 5
“Worship”
Read
Psalm 27
The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.
4 One thing I ask from the Lord,
this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround me;
at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make music to the Lord.
7 Hear my voice when I call, Lord;
be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, Lord, I will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from me,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been my helper.
Do not reject me or forsake me,
God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me,
the Lord will receive me.
11 Teach me your way, Lord;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
13 I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
Reflection
Going deeper means gazing upon the beauty of Jesus for who He is. We often make worship into a business transaction. Meaning, we worship God expecting God to give us something back in return (answered prayer, financial breakthrough, healing, etc.). We worship not looking to receive something in return but for who He is. Worship is a response to knowing His character and glory. To come into His Presence and gaze upon His beauty is an end in itself. Worship is not just good music. Worship is not the opening act for a sermon. Worship is not trying to gain merit from God. Worship is telling God that there is nothing else we need but You! There is nothing else we want but You! It’s all about You! It’s all for You!
Pray
Give praise to God for who He is. Ask Him to become your one thing.
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[Ascend] - Day 4
“Trust in the Lord”
Read
Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Reflection
Going deeper means trusting and following the Great Shepherd. Isaiah 53 says we are all like sheep gone astray, turning to our own ways. Even in our best moments, we are prone to wander but the Lord, by His love and grace, leads us to green pastures and quiet waters where He provides peace and protection. Trusting can be difficult, especially in times of uncertainty and fear. When we cannot see what lies ahead, we start to doubt and lose faith. Even in the valley, our Great Shepherd is still with us and leads us by His goodness.
Pray
Lord, help me to trust you, especially in the areas I have not yet surrendered to you. Thank you for being the good shepherd over my life.
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[Ascend] - Day 3
“Into His Presence With Confidence”
Read
Hebrews 4
4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
“So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’”
And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”
6 Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience, 7 God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,[e] just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Reflection
Going deeper means coming into the Presence of the Lord with confidence. We boldly come before God not because of our own righteousness or faithfulness, but because of His righteousness and faithfulness. We can go to Him in our weakness because He first came to us and stood steadfast in every trial. Just like on a long road trip, as we approach the destination, as we draw closer to the Lord, we see the beauty and wonder of who He is and less who we are and where we have come from.
Prayer
Lord, we want to experience more of your Presence in our church, our homes, and in every facet of our lives. Give us faith to desire more of You and greater sensitivity to perceive more of your Presence.
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[Ascend] - Day 2
“The Fullness of God”
Read
Ephesians 3:14-21
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Reflection
Going deeper means entering into the invitation of God’s immeasurable love. His love exceeds the confounds of our understanding and expectation. It is greater than any sin, failure, regret, trial, or mountain we may face. Think about the first time you looked at the vastness of the ocean or the expanse of the sky. It changes you. It gives you new perspective. So is the love of Christ. To know and experience His love overwhelms and transforms you. It becomes the very lens by which you view the world and yourself. Even in the worst of situations and seasons, His love sustains and gives hope to press on.
Pray
Let’s take some time to thank God for his love. Be reminded of the ways that He has transformed your life. Pray for those near and around you who need to experience the immenseness of God’s love.
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