Free Reading Plans and Devotionals related to Ephesians 4:12

“Christians don’t need church. All we need is Jesus.” Have you ever heard that? There is some merit to this statement. After all, church attendance doesn’t save us. Only a real relationship with Jesus does that. However, is attending church necessary for Christians to walk out their faith? These five points dive deeper into this issue, and as odd as it sounds, they don’t all agree at surface level.

We know God tells us that we are new creations, and yet so often it doesn’t feel like it. We end up pretending to have everything together, while inside we are in deep pain. The first step is to stop the pretence, which is where this study starts. It then encourages you to continually go to the source in order to learn more about, and embrace, who you truly are.

It is one of the toughest commandments we encounter in Scripture -- Jesus’ exhortation in Luke 6:27 to “Love your enemies.” In this five-part devotional, we’ll examine the ways Jesus wants and equips us to achieve that seemingly impossible task.

This 5-day reading plan will remind readers of the important role that the Holy Spirit plays in the life of a believer, encouraging them to get to know Him better. Each day features thoughts on an aspect of the Holy Spirit and ends with a Scripture verse. The content for this reading plan is based on Dirkie van der Spuy’s “When the Holy Spirit Moves”.

The human body holds endlessly fascinating secrets. The resilience of skin, the strength and structure of the bones, the dynamic balance of the muscles—your physical being is knit according to a pattern of stunning purpose. Discover here the eternal truths revealed by our seemingly ordinary existence. The human body is a window into the very structure of God's creation and a testament to God's glory.

This five-day reading plan helps us understand that in every season, and wherever we are on the spectrum of knowing the secondary “callings” of our lives, we are only responsible for our personal answer to God’s ultimate call. When this truth transforms our hearts, it becomes infused into our dreams and desires and helps shape, guide, and even unearth the gifts and talents God has given us.

Not every lie sounds untrue. Some just sound right. And some are repeated so often that they virtually become "common knowledge." This is what makes lies about God so dangerous. So we have to ask, what might God's enemy want us to believe to lead us astray? And would we even see it happening?

In this plan we will look at the possibility that deception can creep into our lives as darkness disguised as light; based on John 6:23, Luke 11:34-36 and other scriptures contrasting darkness and light. We will close by advocating that intimacy with God in Christ through daily quiet time in His Word, prayer, and contemplation is our best defense against deception; I John 1:7.

As we observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it’s important to reflect on the messages, guidance, and godly wisdom he left behind. Dr. King relentlessly pursued his dream of standing for racial equality, love, and justice for all. With this 5-Day plan, be empowered to remember his legacy and live out biblical truth as Christian coaches and athletes.

This five day study will examine Heart Attitude #5 - Participate in the Ministry. We will explore what that means for each of us, how to use our gifts to further the kingdom of Christ, and learn why God has prepared good works for us to do!

Community is the eighth in a series of studies that help you establish a strong biblical foundation as a follower of Jesus. In this plan, we look at what the Bible says about the need for Christian community (church) and how you can play your part in forging a strong community with Christians who may be different from you.

Look at how to reconcile our differences and hold to the truth we all know and carry: Jesus Christ is the only hope of the world. Find inspiration to unite in hope with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, to continue to build God’s Church, and to shine His light in a world of darkness.

This devotional explores the life, faith, work, and legacy of Lydia of Philippi. Lydia’s resume includes: first person in Europe to place their faith in Christ; co-founder of the Philippian church with Paul; host of the growing home church; Paul’s co-worker in spreading the Gospel; and successful businesswoman trading in luxury goods. Lydia’s story reveals God’s desire to use the passions, gifting, and experience of women in their daily workplaces.

We all want more peace, to be more joyful, to embody more of the character of Christ, but it's not easy, right? A life of real transformative growth is possible! However, we have to get the foundation right. This plan sets out a few of the foundational truths necessary for us to build a life of tangible and continuous spiritual growth.

Next-level believers are anointed to influence every sphere of society and represent God on the earth. Passionate and proactive rather than passive, they engage the surrounding culture in their cities, regions and nations and push back darkness with the Kingdom of God’s light. With God-given power and authority, next-level believers arise as the Church and enforce the victories Christ won at Calvary, setting the enemy’s captives free along the way.

If you attended Sunday School growing up, the term ‘the body of Christ’ is not unfamiliar. However, it’s easy to forget that we are a part of a body of Christ and that we each have a unique role to play. Be reminded that you that you are a part of the body of Christ, and that God has created you specially to play your unique role within that body.

The local church is a huge part of God’s design for the Christian community, and although He never promised us it would be perfect, He is clear that it's necessary. In this five-day plan, you’ll be reminded why you need the church, why the church needs you, and how to best engage the body of believers using His Word as your guide and the sacrifice Jesus made as your motivation.

Your identity (who you are) is established upon the qualities, personality, beliefs, and traits that form the foundation of who you are and what you do. Our identity and security in Christ are essential as Christians. That you ‘know’ who you are, and that knowledge impacts your entire life. This devotional is a walk through the book of Ephesians.

Opinion & Disagreement is part 3 of 3 looking at the Intersection Of Faith & Culture. It’s hard to live out our faith in a world where the Christian life seems to be counter to the culture we live in. But together we can help one another navigate those challenging situations where the people we’re seeking to minister to may not understand or think we are just plain weird.

Christian leadership is radically different from any other leadership. With the church and community desperately needing godly leaders, this plan forms the sixth of seven biblical foundations for Christian leaders. "Team" takes a biblical and practical look at how real teams work and the kind of leaders God uses to build effective teams.

The Goal for the 5 day study, is to go over some of the important components in a Biblical design and purpose of the local church. Healthy Church Guides by Crossway has been helpful in preparing this Study Plan

Many good people have been wounded by spouses they loved, only to be further wounded by their communities and churches. Is “God hates divorce” really all we have to say to them? Let this devotional equip you to minister with grace to those wounded by divorce.

During the early days of the Passion Movement, God connected our story to the confession found in Isaiah 26:8, specifically the last phrase, which says, "For your name and renown are the desire of our souls." The heart of Passion is God's glory, and God is most glorified in us when we live lives that are fully satisfied in Him. We pray that this scripture journey through Passion's five core statements and prayers will encourage a posture of gratitude for what He has done and increase expectancy for what He will do in the future.

Men and women are both made in God’s image. But why do we behave so differently then? Could it be that our differences are just a kaleidoscope of different reflections of God’s image? In this Plan, we will explore how to recognize God’s image through our differences in marriage.

There’s a reason we teach kids that please, sorry, and thanks are magic words. They can work wonders. Nothing opens doors like please. Nothing mends fences like sorry. Nothing builds bridges like thanks. This week we’re going to look at how God can use these three powerful words to bring healing and hope to our own spirits and to the lives of those around us.