Here are a few additional resources to guide your quiet time this week:
Watch the replay of "1010 Wins" by Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.
Use this small group discussion guide with family, friends, and co-workers.
Join us for our 6 AM Prayer Call, Monday through Friday (EST)
Day 1
When God Says 'Move', We Move
Based off the message: 1010 Wins
Scripture
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2
Devotional
A cross-country move is a monumental undertaking. It isn't just about packing boxes; it's a complete uprooting of life as you know it. You leave behind familiar streets, favorite restaurants, and established relationships. The process is filled with logistics, uncertainty, and the constant question of whether you're making the right choice. Yet, for a compelling enough reason, like a dream job, a new beginning, or a call to be closer to family, people are willing to pack up and go, trusting that the destination will be worth the difficult journey.
Human nature, however, often resists such drastic change. We are creatures of habit who find comfort in the known and predictable. The thought of starting over can be paralyzing. We might rationalize staying, pointing to all the good reasons to remain where we are, even if a quiet, persistent feeling tells us our season there is over. We can become so attached to a place, job, or stage of life that we refuse to see the signs that it's time to move on. We choose the comfort of a familiar tabernacle over the promise of a new land.
Our spiritual journey is a series of divinely-orchestrated moves. Just like the history of our church, which has tabernacled from schools in Norwalk to properties in Bridgeport, God's plan involves growth, evolution, and movement. Walking by faith requires a radical sensitivity to the voice of the Holy Spirit and a willingness to pack up and move even when it doesn't make logical sense. True obedience means responding to His voice beyond our comfort level and what other people think. It’s agreeing with His plans, even when we don't understand His methods.
When we align ourselves with God's will, we understand that no location is meant to be permanent until we reach our eternal home. Each place is a temporary assignment; a “manifestation,” not “the manifestation.” We must not get stuck on what God said; we must be obedient to what God is saying. When God moves, we move; just like that. Trust that He is leading us forward into the next phase of His good, pleasing, and perfect plan for our lives.
"You haven't really walked with God until He's told you to do something that doesn't make sense. If you're walking by faith and not walking by sight, you have to trust His voice to go where He tells you to go, even when you don't understand it." - Pastor Dexter B. Upshaw Jr.
Reflection Question
In what areas of our lives have we prioritized comfort and familiarity, over the clear... and perhaps uncomfortable... prompting of God's voice?
Prayer
Father, forgive us for the times we have clung to our comfort instead of obeying Your call to move. Renew our minds so that we can be sensitive to Your voice. Teach us to trust Your plans, even when we don't understand them, so we can walk in Your perfect will. In Jesus name, Amen