DAY 21: 21 Days of Prayer - Upside Down Kingdom
Converge
National
- Discipleship & spiritual formation
As we begin the new year, Converge churches and missionaries from around the globe will embark on 21 Days of Prayer. Join us on this prayer journey by reading the daily entries on Converge’s blog, or by downloading your free 21 Days of Prayer: Upside-down Kingdom guide (English/Spanish). In addition, you can share daily posts from our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds. Thank you for joining us as we open 2022 in prayer together.
Day 21: The wise and foolish builders
Matthew 7:24-29
24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.”
The rain is coming.
For all of us, there will be days of trial, but the greatest torrent comes the day already appointed when all the things of this world are stripped from us, and we stand face to face with a Holy God. As Jesus continues his closing thoughts regarding that day of judgment, he draws a proverbial line in the sand before the crowd gathered along the Galilee hillside. Don’t just hear these words of mine and nod your head in agreement. Apply them. Put them into practice. True faith is action-oriented.
As the greatest sermon ever preached ended, the crowd was amazed at Jesus’ teaching. But being amazed is not the goal. The goal is to be transformed. James echoes this teaching when he writes, 22“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (Jm. 1:22).
Transformation comes as a result of the right information applied in the context
of our relationships.
Expressed in mathematical terms: Information + Application + Relationships = Transformation.
As we take the truth of God, testified to brilliantly by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount, and apply it to our relationships with God and with people, the result will be transformation. It will not be just the appearance of transformation on the outside, but true transformation from the inside out.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, help me to stay in step with you as I apply what I know. May your fruit be evident in my personal life and my relationships. Jesus, I long for the day you will make all things new, including me. But until that day comes, help me to start the journey of transformation by living as a citizen of your Kingdom today. Help me to live out the principles of this new way of thinking, applying the truth of what seems at first to be upside down. I choose to walk this path in faith in you. In doing so, may I be a small part of making the ways of heaven a reality here on earth. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Converge, National
Converge is a movement of churches working together to help people meet, know and follow Jesus. We do this by starting and strengthening churches together worldwide.
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