40 Days in the Word - Power of the Word Sample

Theme | The Promises Of God Are Yes In Christ From | Alex Peters Verses | Luke 24:13-35, 2 Corinthians 1:20, Colossians 1:15-20, John 1:1-5 Today we begin the journey of engaging with the Word of God for the next 40 days. God uses “40 days” to complete an important spiritual challenge. Often the challenge involves repentance and the strengthening of an individual’s faith, exemplified in stories such as Noah’s Ark, Jonah, or David and Goliath. Other times, it's overcoming temptation like Jesus in the desert, or time to prepare for an encounter with God like Moses on Mount Sinai. Over the next 40 days, we will intentionally engage with the Word, seek God, and take hold of His promises for our lives and for the world around us. There are two main mistakes we can make when we read the promises of God, and both can be equally dangerous. The first is to assume that every promise can be lifted from the pages of Scripture and applied directly to our lives. The other is to believe that nearly all of the promises came and went in history—that the only one meant for us today is the promise of eternal life which we receive when we place our trust in Christ. Neither approach is correct as Scripture says that, “no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV) . And of course they are! When every story in the Old Testament points forward to the coming of the Son of God, and every word in the New Testament is a response to His life and work, we should not be surprised to find that every promise is indeed, “Yes”, in Christ. Not only that, but all the promises in the Old Testament—the ones we thought were surely over and done with—are transformed and enlarged in the wake of Christ’s ministry. The New Testament helps us see the way these promises are renewed in Christ and just as relevant for us today. When we spend time with Jesus, just like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the Scriptures and the Word of God comes alive in a new way. It is our prayer that as you journey through the next 40 days, that the promises of God come alive in your heart in a new way. Journeys like the Emmaus road, or 40 Days of The Word, were never meant to be done alone. There are times where you will need your faith strengthened, and other times where you need to strengthen another's faith in your world. Other times, revelation will continue to unfold in conversation with friends. Why not grab your Life Group or a few friends and do this journey together? Over this first week, we are going to read through promises of our salvation . Every promise that we can receive from the Word of God, starts with our salvation. As you read these Scriptures this week, may it give you assurance of your salvation and inject faith into your circumstances. Prayer | God, I give You the next 40 days. I pray that as I spend time with You, that You would challenge me, strengthen my faith, reveal Your truth and show me Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. Amen