1/13 :: the surpassing greatness...

read philippians 3:7-11

leading people to a more intimate relationship with God, for His glory. that has been our mission statement ever since we felt led to come up with one. it is a staggering concept to try and wrap your mind around… intimacy with God. how is it possible to get so close to the creator of the universe that it falls into the category of intimacy? the answer is in this text… “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” at one point intimacy with God was impossible, but Christ has made it not only a possibility, but a reality.

do you treasure this? is your relationship with God the most important thing in your life? can you say, like paul, that compared to knowing Christ everything else is, um, rubbish?

many of us struggle to say that we feel just like paul. we want to, but an honest evaluation of our hearts reveals something different. we are all on this journey towards intimacy, and all real
journeys take time. we are moving forward as a church, and are committing our lives to God and to one another. intimacy will come as we mature, and we hope to never arrive at a resting point. that is why our mission statement reads like it does. “more intimate”… there is always a deeper level of intimacy possible with God. and he is bringing us there… together.


† what are the biggest obstacles in your life that keep you from a more intimate relationship with God? ask him to show you, and pray against these things so that nothing stands in your way.

1/14 :: one...

read acts 4:32

wow. years later, and that is one of the ways that luke’s sources describe the early church… all the believers were one in heart and mind. that is one of the goals for the 30 days of prayer, to all get on the same page. we were very intentional in repeatedly using the term ‘unified’ to describe our core values because that is one of the identifying characteristics that makes a church a church. and only God can make that happen. these believers were not always one in heart and mind. at the cross Jesus was abandoned and denied by the very men and women we so highly revere in the book of acts. there was chaos and division among them, but when the Holy Spirit took control, he brought them together… and the impact they had on the world is still felt today.

† today, pray that God would make this happen in us… that we would be described as “one”

1/15 :: like sheep without a shepherd...

read matthew 9:35-38

at some point it must begin to sink in that we are the workers being sent out into “his harvest field”… Jesus is talking about you and I. as he organizes us and makes us a fully functioning living organism (a church), we must keep in mind that all this is happening for a reason. God is drawing people to himself, and he uses us to do so. he doesn’t need us, but he graciously involves us and allows us to be a part of carrying out his divine plan. we must simply be willing to get into peoples’ lives and allow him to work through us.

† today, let’s pray for our corporate impact on the city of baton rouge…that we would have a burden for the lost in our city, and that we would rise to the occasion when given opportunities to minister.

1/16 :: at once they left...

read matthew 4:18-22

Jesus’ first words to his disciples: come, follow me. nothing flashy. no introduction. no explanation. but it was enough for them. there was something about his invitation that stirred them deeply. so deeply that they stopped what the were doing and immediately followed him. this encounter launched a model of relational discipleship that Christians have tried to imitate for centuries. they lived life together, and Jesus taught them by
living out what he was teaching. he was a living, breathing example to them. a live object lesson. their classroom was real life, because we learn most effectively through
experience. Jesus and his disciples set a pattern for us: we are supposed to live life
together, learning about God through the Word and processing our experiences. this means we must be willing to give of ourselves. it takes time, and it requires us to be open with one another.


† pray that God will help us open our lives to one another, and that he would bond us together as a community of disciples.

1/17 :: two very small copper coins...

read luke 21:1-4

people get a little uneasy when you start talking about money at church. there are a number of reasons for this uneasiness, and many of them are justifiable. in this text, Jesus addresses money in a way that is brief, but one that challenges us deeply as well by showing us what matters most to God. Jesus was impressed by her heart, not the amount she gave. do you ever struggle with giving, particularly in regard to the amount? it is easy to feel guilty because you don’t think you are giving enough. or, when you look at how much you give in comparison to the total (or what others give), you ask yourself, “what’s the point?” when you give, keep this passage in mind, particularly the words of Christ… “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.” he looks at the heart, always.


† as we all learn to give of ourselves in every way, including out finances, pray that God would challenge and change your heart to be one who gives out of gratitude and love.

1/18 :: to lay him before Jesus...

read luke 5:17-26

we will discuss this story four times, each time pausing to look at various aspects of community and friendship that these men share. there is a great deal of selflessness in this story, particularly on the part of the men who carried the paralytic to Jesus. obviously Jesus’ presence caused quite a stir if all of those important people had traveled just to be there. and anytime a crowd gathers to the point where you can’t even get in the building, you know something huge is about to happen. yet in the midst of this excitement we see these men, not fighting for position so that they could gain, but putting the needs of their paralytic friend ahead of their own. surely they had needs too. what about what they needed from Jesus? imagine how much it must have meant to the paralytic man to have his friends lay aside their needs and put him ahead of themselves. how would it make you feel? think about how much selflessness reflects God’s character to the world… to the lost… to each other...


† today we will pray for a more selfless community. ask God to change us intothe kind of people who put others ahead of ourselves, and therefore more accurately represent Christ to our world.

1/19 :: the devil said to him...

read luke 4:1-4

it is always encouraging to remind ourselves that Jesus, who is currently seated at the right hand of the father interceding for us, knows what temptation is like. when we are being attacked by the enemy, our intercessor knows how to pray because he has been through it and knows how to win. in fact, he has never lost. spiritual attack is a certainty for Christians, and we should expect a significant increase as we start a new church. satan hates you and everything you are in Christ, and he is terrified of what we are accomplishing as a church. he is jealous and it drives him crazy to see us live abundant and free lives. on three separate days, we will look at the three areas of attack that Jesus experienced in the desert, and pray against those attacks in our own lives.

in the first part of the passage we see Jesus in the desert at the end of a forty day fast. satan begins by attacking his physical needs, tempting him with food. take time to think about the ways satan attacks you physically. perhaps you battle with your self image… lust… sexual temptation… alcohol or drug addiction… pornography… etc. satan loves to attack these areas because when we struggle physically it affects us spiritually.

† pray against the physical attacks of the enemy, both for yourself and the church as a whole.

1/20 :: you are the body...

read 1 corinthians 12:27

we have all felt insignificant at times, but no one is insignificant in the body of Christ. we need each other in order to fully function as a body. the question we must ask of God is, what specific roles are we to play in the life of the ring community church? in the past week we have covered many of the basics related to unity, evangelism, community, and discipleship, but how do we as individuals fit into the realization of those ideals by this church?


† only God can answer those questions. he has made it clear that each of us is a part of the body, today let us ask him to get specific…

1/21 :: reflection...

read psalm 63:1-8

† today is a day of reflection. look back over our journey so far, and see what God has shown you. take time to reflect and pray, allowing him to guide you along the way.

1/22 :: but one thing i do...

read philippians 3:12-14

all around our world we see people who are successful because of their passion for excellence. tiger woods, donald trump, peyton manning, coldplay… all are driven by their refusal to be anything less than the best. this is common in the world, but very uncommon in the church. we love salvation, grace, forgiveness, freedom, etc., but when it comes to pursuing Christlikeness, we settle for mediocrity. in this passage, paul is saying, “I will not be content with anything less than Christlikeness.” paul embraces his justification before God, but he wants more… he wants to be just like Jesus. not a little bit like him. just like him. and he is willing to work hard to get there. look at his language… straining, pressing on toward the goal. this is the sacred obsession of his life, and he refuses to settle for less.

we are too easily satisfied.


† pray for a renewed passion that refuses to settle for anything less than Christlikeness.

1/23 :: to each one...

read 1 corinthians 12:7

God is in you. literally. and he has very specific ways in which he reveals that fact to the world. the church term here is “spiritual gifts” because these manifestations are freely and uniquely given to each of us. however, they are a gift not to us as individuals, but to the church body as a whole. all of our gifts work together for the strengthening of the church and the furthering of the kingdom. in other words, you are a gift to the ring community church. God has given us a gift, by manifesting himself in your life in such unique ways. we cannot be the ring community church without you.


† pray and ask God to reveal the “manifestations of the spirit” in your own life. continue to pray for guidance as you find your place in this church.

1/24 :: you will be my witnesses...

read acts 1:8

take time to really think about this… what do you think it means to be one of Christ’s “witnesses”?

in the space provided on the next page, or in a space of your own, make a list of reasons that being a witness or witnessing is intimidating to you.


† today, pray through the list you made, asking God to remove all intimidation and replace it with boldness and confidence. (keep in mind that the outpouring of the power of God through the indwelling of his Spirit within you precedes being a witness… which should play a significant role in making witnessing far less intimidating).

1/25 :: the devil led him...

read luke 4:1-8

go back to the january 19th entry and read the first paragraph again, just as a reminder.

the second attempt by satan to tempt Jesus essentially is an appeal to his pride. after all, who wouldn’t want all the authority and splendor of all the kingdoms of the world? ok, so obviously Jesus wouldn’t, but we can see how that would be tempting. he is offering money and power… two things we love. satan knows we are prideful and he will attack us by appealing to our egos. pride is dangerous because it is really just the deification of self. we all want to be God, and satan has been throwing that at humanity since eden. look at Jesus’ response… he refuses to worship anything other that God, including himself. satan wants us to choose anything but God to worship, so why not start with everyone’s favorite option… self.


† take time to think about the ways that satan attacks your pride. remember that those are ways that satan is trying to get you to choose anything but God and he is ultimately tempting you with idolatry. pray against that for yourself and our church.

1/26 :: a fragrant offering...

read philippians 4:18-19

do you see giving in this way… as a, “fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God”? when you go to the prayer/giving station at the ring, do you see that as an act of worship just like singing, or praying, or studying the Bible? according to this text, God sees it that way even if we do not. if you struggle with giving, you are not alone. and if you struggle with seeing giving as worship, you definitely are not alone. one reason we struggle with this is because we have basically turned our, “fragrant offerings” into just another monthly bill… like paying the rent or cable bill. we can refuse to involve the Holy Spirit in various areas of our lives, like our finances, and we always end up frustrated and stagnant. God deserves more than our robotic responses...


† if giving has become mechanical and stale to you, it is not too late to change. start praying about your finances, asking him to guide you in your spending, saving, and giving.

1/27 :: when they could not find a way...

read luke 5:17-26

as you may remember, we will discuss this story four times, each time pausing to look at various aspects of community and friendship that these men share. in verse 19, we see an amazing display of commitment to what is most important. these men, whose names we do not know, are legendary for their willingness to do whatever it took to get their friend to Jesus. adversity is something we all face, both personally and corporately as a church. but in true community, you press ahead in the face of adversity… why? because the mission does not change with the circumstances. their mission was to get their friend to Jesus, and that did not change just because the crowds made it seem impossible. we will face things as a church that are difficult and painful, but we will press ahead because God has charged and empowered us to go and make disciples of all nations, no matter what it takes.


† today we will pray for God to make us into a community that is so committed to Christ, nothing can deter us from carrying out his mission.

1/28 :: night and day i constantly remember you...

read 2 timothy 1:3-6

timothy was discipled by paul, and in this passage we get a glimpse of what a true mentoring relationship looks like. we see that paul constantly prayed for timothy… he recalled their experiences which indicates much more than a passive friendship, but a deep history that he cannot forget… he knew timothy’s spiritual heritage, and remembered it in great detail… he was encouraging to timothy by affirming that he sees that sincere faith in him too. we need people in our lives who know us this well. we need people in our lives that we know this well. it has been said that we need 3 kinds of people in our lives: people who have walked with God longer than us, people who are at the same point in the journey, and people who have not walked with God as long as we have. this allows us to be poured into, as well as pouring back into the lives of others. our church will be a church where this happens intentionally as well as casually. we want to be disciples of Christ who make other disciples of Christ.


† pray that God will begin to show you who he has put in your life to play these 3 roles.

1/29 :: all of them were healed...

read acts 5:12-16

this is what a unified group can accomplish when the Spirit of God is unleashed. in this passage we see miracles that lead to salvations, and then the word spreads. picture verse 15… people trying to get into position so that peter’s shadow falls on them. people willing to travel just to get to your community, hoping for a chance to be healed… and they don’t leave disappointed. can you imagine being a part of something that powerful?

well, you are.

† he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and his church is just as empowered today as they were in the book of acts. today, let us pray fervently that God would use us to display his power just as he did then.

1/30 :: they gave to anyone...

read acts 2:42-47

this description of the early church gives us tremendous insight into not only the lifestyles and attitudes of this unique group, but also the impact they had on their community. they display a radical generosity that seems almost unfathomable to us today, and that generosity is a part of what got the attention of the entire region. imagine what kind of message that would send to our city. think about how generosity communicates truths about God that we cannot communicate in any other way.


† do you think that same kind of radical generosity is possible today? what holds us back? what holds you back? make a list, and use that as your prayer guide for today…

1/31 :: carrying...

read luke 5:17-26

as you may remember, we will discuss this story four times, each time pausing to look at various aspects of community and friendship that these men share. at some point before we are brought into this story, one of two things had to have happened: the paralytic man said to his friends, “I need your help” , or, the friends said to the paralytic man, “you need our help.” in true community, there is a freedom to be who you really are. and one of the signs that indicates that degree of openness is our willingness to admit when we are hurting because we know there will be and absence of judgment, and an abundance of grace. we often put up fronts because we are afraid of how people may react when they find out how messed up we are. the irony is, we are all in the same boat, we’re just not willing to admit it.


† today, as a church, let’s ask God to make us into a community where there is an absence of judgment and an abundance of grace.

2/1 :: he who has ears, let him hear...

read matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

in this parable, we are fortunate to have Jesus not only tell the parable, but explain it as well. there are many lessons to take away from this text, but today we will focus on the soil. in each situation, it was not the seed that determined the fate of the plant, but the condition of the place where the seed landed… the soil. in Jesus’ explanation, soil represents the heart. it is the condition of the heart that determines what happens when the gospel (the seed) finds its way in. one of the problems with our understanding of evangelism is that we limit it so much. according to this passage, preparing someone’s heart to receive the gospel is as important as planting the seed. God often allows us to build a relationship with someone before opening the door to share the gospel. the forming of a relationship builds trust, and God uses that connection to prepare their heart to hear the gospel message.


† our core values state that we are trying to reach everyone… through the relationships God gives us. spend time today praying and asking God to show you how he wants to use you to better prepare the hearts of those he is bringing across your path.

2/2 :: filled to the measure...

read ephesians 3:14-21, focusing on verses 16 and 17a.

the heart is our command center, influencing our moral and ethical decisions. paul’s prayer is that the power of God will fully dwell in the hearts of the people in this church. why pray this? because the dwelling of Jesus Christ affects everything. he takes over our hearts, our command center. the empowering Spirit and indwelling Christ move us to live abundant lives. we often wonder how God can ever use us to further his kingdom. we know our faults, shortcomings, issues… and yet, the beauty of it all is that those are the very things he uses. his indwelling makes us alive and we begin to live like he lived. the changes in our lives can only be credited to him, and he uses our transformation to draw people to himself. don’t believe it is possible for you? paul believes in a God of impossibilities… read v.20.

the purity we long for… a life filled with the “fullness of God”… a life that is changed on the inside and outside… all the things that are “immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine”… the life you’ve always wanted is possible. God is ready to unleash his power into your life.


† take paul’s prayer for the church in ephesus (eph 3:14-21) and pray this prayer for yourself.

2/3 :: teaching them...

read matthew 28:18-20

when Jesus says, “teach them to obey everything I have commanded you”, it is not an afterthought. we tend to put a lot of emphasis on the conversion element of the great commission, but the mentoring element is just as important. Jesus taught them through apprenticing, just like you would learn a skill or craft. most teachers teach like they were taught. so the disciples (once they understood what was going on) did just that. in many ways, what we see in the book of acts is the disciples carrying out the mentoring element of the great commission, teaching by combining instruction with experience. it has been compared to learning a foreign language by immersing yourself in a culture that speaks the language, as opposed to sitting in a classroom and using flashcards. the instructions alone are ok, but when you hear the beauty of that language and the nuances of those who truly have mastered it, your learning is enhanced exponentially. we need to have relationships where we are taught in this way. we need to be close enough relationally to see how to handle the rough spots in life… to see what our faith looks like when it is truly lived out… to see how scripture fits into everyday life.


† pray for God to send you someone to mentor in this way.

2/4 :: reflection...

read psalm 63:1-8

† today is a day of reflection. look back over our journey so far, and see what God has shown you. take time to reflect and pray, allowing him to guide you along the way.

2/5 :: Jesus saw their faith...

read luke 5:17-26

as you may remember, we will discuss this story four times, each time pausing to look at various aspects of community and friendship that these men share. these men were confident that Jesus Christ had the power to heal their friend. there was no doubt, and they were going to get him to Jesus even if they had to tear the roof off to do so. Riter said that passion is, “the degree of
difficulty we are willing to endure to reach the goal.” if our goal is Jesus, and we really believe that he has the power to change any human life, it should change the way we live our lives and interact with others. there is no situation, addiction, problem, sickness, habit, or sin that he cannot change, and the world is waiting for us to bring them to him.

† pray that God would make us into a community of faith that truly believes that Jesus Christ has the power to change any human life, and is fully devoted to making sure people know that.

2/6 :: one man sharpens another...

read proverbs 27:17

you make me sharp. I make you sharp. it is the interaction of our lives that keep one
another on task. at some point solomon recognized the fact that his relationships keep him sharp. whether it is accountability, encouragement, prayer, counseling, or rebuke, we need each other desperately. God has given us relationships, and in his hands our lives will connect just like two pieces of iron rubbing together. one thing to keep in mind is that in order for iron to sharpen iron there must be some friction. we see this as bad, but God uses it for our good. there are also times when our relationships end up doing more damage than good. we can easily dull one another as well. do you have friends that end up dulling you more than sharpening you? are you that kind of friend to others?


† pray that God would build your relationships to the point that you and your friends only sharpen one another.

2/7 :: jesus answered...

read luke 4:1-13

go back to the january 19th entry and read the first paragraph again, just as a reminder.

if you are who you say you are… prove it. that is essentially what satan is telling Jesus, and it is a blatant attack on his identity. but Jesus knew his identity, and knew that he did not have to prove it. our identity is attacked by satan as well. one reason satan attacks us in this area is because we don’t have a solid biblical understanding of who we are in Christ. when we are unsure, satan comes in and feeds us lies… which we sometimes believe. then we are confused, frustrated, and discouraged, unable to pray, minister, and worship. but God has set our identity firmly in place, and we have a way to fight this battle. Jesus quoted scripture in the face of temptation. God has given us many scriptures related to our identity. when satan attacks in this area, fight by quoting truth.

† ask God to show you the areas where satan’s attack on your identity is most effective in your life. search the scriptures and find verses that will help you battle those specific areas. pray that God will continue to root your heart in truth and shape your understanding of your new identity in Christ.

2/8 :: we will be content...

read 1 timothy 6:6-10

money will make you do crazy things. people lie, cheat, steal, deceive, hoard, splurge, love, hate, worry, stress, betray, go to war and dive into debt… just for money. if we take time to examine our culture, we can trace many of the “evil” things back down the money trail. right after this passage, paul writes to timothy, “but you, man of God, flee from all this and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” we should be running in the opposite direction, but many of us spend a great deal of time heading right for it. how have you seen this in your own life? does your love of money keep you from the things of God like giving to the poor? ... anyone who has a need?… giving to the church?


† pray that God would protect you from the strongholds of wealth and materialism that surround our culture. when you pray, think about how giving and being generous with your money is a way of disciplining yourself when it comes to this. it is a way of saying, “I will not be controlled by anyone or anything other than God.”

2/9 :: the greatest of these...

read 1 corinthians 13

without love, everything we are trying to do is meaningless

2/10 :: therefore go...

read matthew 28:18-20

according to this text, there are two components of disciple making: baptizing (the public declaration of conversion) and teaching the converts how to live out their new faith (discipleship, mentoring, etc.). Jesus instructs the apostles to go and carry this out, leaving no nation untouched. they were obedient to this charge, and as a result of their obedience, the gospel message has c

† today, pray for a personal and corporate realization of these two components. pray that we would see people come to know the Lord (through your personal life and the life of our church), and that we would disciple and mentor those who are new to the faith in a way that makes true, passionate disciples.

2/11 :: by it you may grow up...

read 1 peter 2:1-3

tomorrow is the big day… our new baby church will be officially born. in the ancient near east, two things were done after a baby was born: they would clean the baby, and then give it to the mother to begin nursing. peter is using these two things in relation to our spiritual growth. “rid yourselves” means to literally strip away all of the afterbirth from the newborn baby. the language used in verse 1 actually reads, “since you have been stripped of all malice…” it is a done deal. now we are to move on to the second step, nursing. he says that craving pure spiritual milk is the key to growing up in our salvation. so what exactly is pure spiritual milk? according to verse 3, it is the goodness of the Lord. newborn babies have a ferocious appetite, and it only takes a drop of milk to unleash it. a mere taste of the goodness of God is enough to unleash our hunger and desire for him. perhaps you are not hungry for the Lord. not necessarily because you are full but because you have grown complacent and stagnant. in a way peter is encouraging us to return to the origins of our faith, to the beginnings of our walk with the Lord. scripture tells us it is the kindness of God that leads us to repentance. maybe before we birth a new church, we need to return to our roots.

† spend time thinking about your salvation experience, asking God to give you a taste of his goodness again. and then pray that we as a church maintain that craving as we launch out...