Whose am I? - 1 Corinthians 6:14-20

14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”[b] 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.[c]

18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Questions for Reflection:

Where do you naturally seek to find value in yourself ? How does it help to begin remembering your identity as a child of God first?

How does it bring comfort in your life decisions and conduct to begin from a place of knowing you belong to God and are not your own?

Prayer of the Week:

Consecration Prayer for 2022

Father in heaven, we come to You to be restored and renewed in You. We are Your amazingly loved children and You are our Father in heaven. We are Your church in 2022. We now consecrate this year of life as individuals, as families and as Your church to You and You alone! We surrender every aspect of our lives totally and completely to You. We yield ourselves to the leading of Your Holy Spirit.

Come Holy Spirit, fill us afresh every day this new year. We want to follow Your lead!

Jesus, we receive all the work and triumph of Your life, death, resurrection, ascension and current reign over our lives and church. We are not our own we have been bought with a price. Thank you for giving us salvation identity. We pray, “Hallowed be Your name, Your Kingdom come and Your will be done” in our lives, families and church in 2022!

Jesus, I am Yours totally and completely in 2022 - bought in and sold out for You and Your purposes for me.

- My time, ability, possessions and money,

- my sexuality, influence, personality and imagination,

- my work, plans, pleasures and ambitions

- my brokenness, imperfections, disappointments and failures

- my loves, losses, worries and dreams

- my everyday all day living

… is now set apart, surrendered and consecrated to You, Jesus!

I give everyone and everything to You, Jesus!

I now bring the authority, rule and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ over all aspects of my life and over all my arenas of influence this new year.

We now bring the authority rule and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ over our church, mission and purpose this year. Lead us Jesus lead us! We come in Jesus name against Satan and His kingdom binding and banishing him and all forces of evil from our lives, our families and our church this year in the powerful and victorious name of Jesus! Amen!

Whose am I? - John 10:1-10

“Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.

6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Questions for Reflection:

How significant is it for you and your sense of identity and worth that Jesus knows your name?

In what way have you noticed the enemy (satan) steals, kills and destroys?

How does “identity in Christ” help battle the enemy’s attacks?

Prayer of the Week:

Consecration Prayer for 2022

Father in heaven, we come to You to be restored and renewed in You. We are Your amazingly loved children and You are our Father in heaven. We are Your church in 2022. We now consecrate this year of life as individuals, as families and as Your church to You and You alone! We surrender every aspect of our lives totally and completely to You. We yield ourselves to the leading of Your Holy Spirit.

Come Holy Spirit, fill us afresh every day this new year. We want to follow Your lead!

Jesus, we receive all the work and triumph of Your life, death, resurrection, ascension and current reign over our lives and church. We are not our own we have been bought with a price. Thank you for giving us salvation identity. We pray, “Hallowed be Your name, Your Kingdom come and Your will be done” in our lives, families and church in 2022!

Jesus, I am Yours totally and completely in 2022 - bought in and sold out for You and Your purposes for me.

- My time, ability, possessions and money,

- my sexuality, influence, personality and imagination,

- my work, plans, pleasures and ambitions

- my brokenness, imperfections, disappointments and failures

- my loves, losses, worries and dreams

- my everyday all day living

… is now set apart, surrendered and consecrated to You, Jesus!

I give everyone and everything to You, Jesus!

I now bring the authority, rule and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ over all aspects of my life and over all my arenas of influence this new year.

We now bring the authority rule and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ over our church, mission and purpose this year. Lead us Jesus lead us! We come in Jesus name against Satan and His kingdom binding and banishing him and all forces of evil from our lives, our families and our church this year in the powerful and victorious name of Jesus! Amen!

Whose am I? - 1 Peter 2:4-5,9-10

4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Questions for Reflection:

What role does community play in the identity that God has given you?

What does it mean to you that Jesus is THE living stone and we are like little versions of Him? How does that inform our actions and daily living?

In your story how have you received mercy?

Prayer of the Week:

Consecration Prayer for 2022

Father in heaven, we come to You to be restored and renewed in You. We are Your amazingly loved children and You are our Father in heaven. We are Your church in 2022. We now consecrate this year of life as individuals, as families and as Your church to You and You alone! We surrender every aspect of our lives totally and completely to You. We yield ourselves to the leading of Your Holy Spirit.

Come Holy Spirit, fill us afresh every day this new year. We want to follow Your lead!

Jesus, we receive all the work and triumph of Your life, death, resurrection, ascension and current reign over our lives and church. We are not our own we have been bought with a price. Thank you for giving us salvation identity. We pray, “Hallowed be Your name, Your Kingdom come and Your will be done” in our lives, families and church in 2022!

Jesus, I am Yours totally and completely in 2022 - bought in and sold out for You and Your purposes for me.

- My time, ability, possessions and money,

- my sexuality, influence, personality and imagination,

- my work, plans, pleasures and ambitions

- my brokenness, imperfections, disappointments and failures

- my loves, losses, worries and dreams

- my everyday all day living

… is now set apart, surrendered and consecrated to You, Jesus!

I give everyone and everything to You, Jesus!

I now bring the authority, rule and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ over all aspects of my life and over all my arenas of influence this new year.

We now bring the authority rule and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ over our church, mission and purpose this year. Lead us Jesus lead us! We come in Jesus name against Satan and His kingdom binding and banishing him and all forces of evil from our lives, our families and our church this year in the powerful and victorious name of Jesus! Amen!

Whose am I? - Isaiah 43:1-7

But now, this is what the Lord says—

he who created you, Jacob,

he who formed you, Israel:

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters,

I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

you will not be burned;

the flames will not set you ablaze.

3 For I am the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

I give Egypt for your ransom,

Cush and Seba in your stead.

4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,

and because I love you,

I will give people in exchange for you,

nations in exchange for your life.

5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;

I will bring your children from the east

and gather you from the west.

6 I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’

and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’

Bring my sons from afar

and my daughters from the ends of the earth—

7 everyone who is called by my name,

whom I created for my glory,

whom I formed and made.”

Questions for Reflection:

How has ‘exile-ness’ manifested itself in your life?

What feelings come up for you if you if you read these verses as a blessing over you in the midst of your exile?

What role do you see Identity playing in Yahweh’s words of comfort towards His people in these verses?

Prayer of the Week:

Consecration Prayer for 2022

Father in heaven, we come to You to be restored and renewed in You. We are Your amazingly loved children and You are our Father in heaven. We are Your church in 2022. We now consecrate this year of life as individuals, as families and as Your church to You and You alone! We surrender every aspect of our lives totally and completely to You. We yield ourselves to the leading of Your Holy Spirit.

Come Holy Spirit, fill us afresh every day this new year. We want to follow Your lead!

Jesus, we receive all the work and triumph of Your life, death, resurrection, ascension and current reign over our lives and church. We are not our own we have been bought with a price. Thank you for giving us salvation identity. We pray, “Hallowed be Your name, Your Kingdom come and Your will be done” in our lives, families and church in 2022!

Jesus, I am Yours totally and completely in 2022 - bought in and sold out for You and Your purposes for me.

- My time, ability, possessions and money,

- my sexuality, influence, personality and imagination,

- my work, plans, pleasures and ambitions

- my brokenness, imperfections, disappointments and failures

- my loves, losses, worries and dreams

- my everyday all day living

… is now set apart, surrendered and consecrated to You, Jesus!

I give everyone and everything to You, Jesus!

I now bring the authority, rule and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ over all aspects of my life and over all my arenas of influence this new year.

We now bring the authority rule and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ over our church, mission and purpose this year. Lead us Jesus lead us! We come in Jesus name against Satan and His kingdom binding and banishing him and all forces of evil from our lives, our families and our church this year in the powerful and victorious name of Jesus! Amen!

Whose am I? - Luke 3:21-23

Luke 3 21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.

Questions for Reflection:

Picture yourself in Jesus place - How does it feel to hear these words spoken over you by Your Father in heaven?

What way of living is an appropriate response to having this kind of identity? Think through the relationship between our being (identity) and our doing (actual living). How are they related? How do they impact one another?

Prayer of the Week:

Consecration Prayer for 2022

Father in heaven, we come to You to be restored and renewed in You. We are Your amazingly loved children and You are our Father in heaven. We are Your church in 2022. We now consecrate this year of life as individuals, as families and as Your church to You and You alone! We surrender every aspect of our lives totally and completely to You. We yield ourselves to the leading of Your Holy Spirit.

Come Holy Spirit, fill us afresh every day this new year. We want to follow Your lead!

Jesus, we receive all the work and triumph of Your life, death, resurrection, ascension and current reign over our lives and church. We are not our own we have been bought with a price. Thank you for giving us salvation identity. We pray, “Hallowed be Your name, Your Kingdom come and Your will be done” in our lives, families and church in 2022!

Jesus, I am Yours totally and completely in 2022 - bought in and sold out for You and Your purposes for me.

- My time, ability, possessions and money,

- my sexuality, influence, personality and imagination,

- my work, plans, pleasures and ambitions

- my brokenness, imperfections, disappointments and failures

- my loves, losses, worries and dreams

- my everyday all day living

… is now set apart, surrendered and consecrated to You, Jesus!

I give everyone and everything to You, Jesus!

I now bring the authority, rule and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ over all aspects of my life and over all my arenas of influence this new year.

We now bring the authority rule and dominion of the Lord Jesus Christ over our church, mission and purpose this year. Lead us Jesus lead us! We come in Jesus name against Satan and His kingdom binding and banishing him and all forces of evil from our lives, our families and our church this year in the powerful and victorious name of Jesus! Amen!

Immerse in Epiphany - Matthew 2:13-18

13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

18“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Questions for Reflection:

I don’t have a question for you to ponder today… as I’m assuming that if you’re engaged in a daily Bible devotion, your response to the incarnation was like that of the Wise Men who sought Him out and worshiped Him with urgency.

My challenge for you though is to pray for the people in your mission field (people you encounter where you live, work and play) and pray that their response to Christ’s birth is also like that of the Wise Men and not of Herod.

Prayer of the Week:

Daily Opening Prayer (Concluding with an option for 2 minutes of silence)

Father, Son, Holy Spirit, I rejoice in the reality and opportunity to spend these moments in Your presence. It is so good to be in Your presence this day. Please, restore me in You and renew me in you that I might experience all of You that is possible. Fill me afresh Holy Spirit, saturate me in Your Love, saturate me in your Life and saturate me in Your JOY this day. Untangle me from my anxious thoughts, immerse me now in my true identity as a child of my heavenly Father with an irreplaceable role to play this day, in Your larger story.

Jesus, help me untangle from all other claims on my attention as I engage with you in this time. I ask for more of your JOY today and an increased capacity to REJOICE in You and all You are to me. I am open to You Jesus now … I rest in You… (Spend two minutes of reflective silence with eyes closed, this time is embedded in the audio version … just rest in the presence of yourself and Jesus!)

Daily Closing Prayer

Thank you Father for sending me your Son, the Light of the World, through the mystery of His incarnation. Fill me with Your Light, fill me with the Holy Spirit, and give me a deeper desire for You, for Your JOY in my life, and a sense of bring Your Light into the darkness of this world. Jesus, I renounce any and all ways I tend to replace You through the celebration of this season. Help me Re-see ways this season actually ignites my passion and longing for You. I want more of you Jesus. I need, utterly need, more of You Jesus. Fill me to overflowing with Your life and Your love.

Jesus through waiting I ask for more of Your presence. I want to know You more. I want to spend all my day in side-by-side friendship with You. I receive You now.

I am excited to see what You can do today. I know You can do amazing things, and I would love to be a part of them.

I am waiting for Your cue.

Amen

Immerse in Epiphany - Luke 2:36-40

36 There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. 38 Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

39 When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

Questions for Reflection:

In your life, assuming at some point you have experienced pain and/or loss… have you any bitterness that needs healing by Jesus?

In your life, assuming at some point you have experienced pain and/or loss… have you lost some hope?

Prayer of the Week:

Daily Opening Prayer (Concluding with an option for 2 minutes of silence)

Father, Son, Holy Spirit, I rejoice in the reality and opportunity to spend these moments in Your presence. It is so good to be in Your presence this day. Please, restore me in You and renew me in you that I might experience all of You that is possible. Fill me afresh Holy Spirit, saturate me in Your Love, saturate me in your Life and saturate me in Your JOY this day. Untangle me from my anxious thoughts, immerse me now in my true identity as a child of my heavenly Father with an irreplaceable role to play this day, in Your larger story.

Jesus, help me untangle from all other claims on my attention as I engage with you in this time. I ask for more of your JOY today and an increased capacity to REJOICE in You and all You are to me. I am open to You Jesus now … I rest in You… (Spend two minutes of reflective silence with eyes closed, this time is embedded in the audio version … just rest in the presence of yourself and Jesus!)

Daily Closing Prayer

Thank you Father for sending me your Son, the Light of the World, through the mystery of His incarnation. Fill me with Your Light, fill me with the Holy Spirit, and give me a deeper desire for You, for Your JOY in my life, and a sense of bring Your Light into the darkness of this world. Jesus, I renounce any and all ways I tend to replace You through the celebration of this season. Help me Re-see ways this season actually ignites my passion and longing for You. I want more of you Jesus. I need, utterly need, more of You Jesus. Fill me to overflowing with Your life and Your love.

Jesus through waiting I ask for more of Your presence. I want to know You more. I want to spend all my day in side-by-side friendship with You. I receive You now.

I am excited to see what You can do today. I know You can do amazing things, and I would love to be a part of them.

I am waiting for Your cue.

Amen

Immerse in Epiphany - Isaiah 60:1-6

Isaiah 60 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.

3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you: All assemble and come to you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip.

5 Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.

6 Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah.

And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.

Questions for Reflection:

In what way would you say does a “thick darkness” is over the people in our day and age?

Which of the verses in this section are the most life giving for your today? What is good news to you?

Prayer of the Week:

Daily Opening Prayer (Concluding with an option for 2 minutes of silence)

Father, Son, Holy Spirit, I rejoice in the reality and opportunity to spend these moments in Your presence. It is so good to be in Your presence this day. Please, restore me in You and renew me in you that I might experience all of You that is possible. Fill me afresh Holy Spirit, saturate me in Your Love, saturate me in your Life and saturate me in Your JOY this day. Untangle me from my anxious thoughts, immerse me now in my true identity as a child of my heavenly Father with an irreplaceable role to play this day, in Your larger story.

Jesus, help me untangle from all other claims on my attention as I engage with you in this time. I ask for more of your JOY today and an increased capacity to REJOICE in You and all You are to me. I am open to You Jesus now … I rest in You… (Spend two minutes of reflective silence with eyes closed, this time is embedded in the audio version … just rest in the presence of yourself and Jesus!)

Daily Closing Prayer

Thank you Father for sending me your Son, the Light of the World, through the mystery of His incarnation. Fill me with Your Light, fill me with the Holy Spirit, and give me a deeper desire for You, for Your JOY in my life, and a sense of bring Your Light into the darkness of this world. Jesus, I renounce any and all ways I tend to replace You through the celebration of this season. Help me Re-see ways this season actually ignites my passion and longing for You. I want more of you Jesus. I need, utterly need, more of You Jesus. Fill me to overflowing with Your life and Your love.

Jesus through waiting I ask for more of Your presence. I want to know You more. I want to spend all my day in side-by-side friendship with You. I receive You now.

I am excited to see what You can do today. I know You can do amazing things, and I would love to be a part of them.

I am waiting for Your cue.

Amen