Being Intentional Every Day | 28 Days of Hope: Day 26

28 Days of Hope – Day 26

If you observe how Jesus lived, he was intentional every day. That is significant for us to emulate. Jesus was on a mission. We also should be on His mission. Jesus was seeking people who did not know God. We want to lead people to God. Jesus went to the home of Zacchaeus, who was a selfish and despised tax collector. Jesus went to the man who had a legion of demons in him and brought deliverance. Jesus travelled through Samaria and pursued a woman who had been divorced many times and shared living water with her. The stories are inspiring and remind us of why we are here on earth. Jesus told a parable of how the shepherd leaves the 99 sheep to find the 1 that is lost. Paul recaps his approach by saying to the Thessalonians we love you so much that we not only share the gospel with you but our lives as well. Jesus was never ashamed of the gospel. We have no reason to be ashamed or quiet about Jesus when He tells us to reach the world.

The picture of spiritual maturity is not to have a few friends who are just like you and believe what you believe. That is not in Scripture or the Jesus we follow. Sometimes long-term Christians drift into a holy huddle rut which is really not wise or even holy. They lose connection with the people they are here to serve. They do not have meaningful relationships with people who are far from God. They prefer to put up walls and act indifferent to the hurting souls of those in their cities. Even worse, Christians can fall into the trap of elitism, thinking they are better than others, finger-pointing and self-righteousness like the Pharisees. There are churches that do not look beyond the four walls of their building. We need to repent. We need a restart. We need to be prayerful and intentional. Your story is powerful, and God wants you to share it often with others. Let people know how Jesus has changed and blessed you. Jesus healed a man who was possessed by a legion of demons. After his restoration, Jesus told the man to share his story with his family and community. There were ten cities who heard about God’s healing. The ripple effects of our actions extend beyond what we can see.

It is time for fresh vision from God, both locally and globally. God is not running low on hope. He is not asking us to conserve and ration it out with small portions for everyone. God has infinite hope that multiplies and is exponential. Ministries that provide drive-through prayer, medical services, free tangible resources, or welcome international students, or fight human trafficking are a few examples of how God’s hope is growing in our city. Trips overseas, sponsoring children, providing clean water for families, sending missionaries, and media outreach are some of our global endeavors. I could list many more opportunities. Select an outreach that is a good fit for you. Serve with others, because we go further together. Learn from other people. If you aim at nothing, you will hit nothing. If you fail to plan, you will plan to fail. Jesus made prayerful decisions. He left heaven very intentionally. No one else can make the decision to be intentional for you. This is between you and Jesus. If God is for you, who can be against you?

Hope Point: We can transform our communities by sharing how Jesus has blessed us.

Hope Story: A demon-possessed man in Mark 5:1-20

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. Who led you to Jesus and how intentional were they?
2. What is your faith story of God’s provision, protection, and hope?
3. In what new ways can you share your story and be an encouragement to others?
4. How are you doing with building relationships with people who do not know or have the hope of Jesus now?

PRAYER

Father God, every day is a gift from You and filled with purpose. This is the day You have made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it. Let me redeem the times with Your hope. I bring Your hope to where I live, work, learn, and play. My mission is to give Your hope to those You bring into my path today. I pray this for Your glory, Jesus. Amen.

28 Days of Hope is a journey together, as we rediscover and recommit to God’s indestructible hope in transformative ways. As you begin this journey, you’ll experience a sense of excitement about what God is going to do.

If you have a desire to grow in your faith, strengthen your relationships, gain wisdom, cultivate new habits, experience more peace, and live daily with purpose and passion, then you are in the right place. Just Choose Hope