In his sermon entitled, "What Matters Most?," Pastor Joel challenged us to examine whether we're measuring our lives by worldly standards or by God's definition of success. Paul's famous "love chapter" wasn't written for weddings—it was written to correct a church that was showing off spiritual gifts without love, reminding us that without love, even our most impressive spiritual activities are worthless, like a "resounding gong or clanging cymbal."
We invite you to spend the next five days reflecting and praying through this devotional based on that message.
We invite you to spend the next five days reflecting and praying through this devotional based on that message.
Day 1: The Measure of True Success
Rest: Take 2 minutes of silence and invite God - Father, Son, and Spirit - to draw near to you in this time.
Read: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Reflect: Success in God's kingdom looks radically different from worldly achievement. Paul confronts us with a sobering truth: impressive spiritual gifts, sacrificial generosity, and even martyrdom mean nothing without love. We can fill our churches, balance our budgets, and create programs that look successful on paper, yet miss what matters most to God. The Corinthians were obsessed with spectacular displays of spirituality, but they lacked the foundation that makes everything meaningful—love.
Pause and talk with the Lord. Ask him if you are pursuing impressive results or genuine love? Are your spiritual activities rooted in love for God and others, or are you seeking recognition and validation? True success isn't measured by numbers or achievements, but by love that reflects Christ's character. Ask him to grow that kind of love in you, and to trust and submit to the faithful work of his Spirit.
Respond: Thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Read: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Reflect: Success in God's kingdom looks radically different from worldly achievement. Paul confronts us with a sobering truth: impressive spiritual gifts, sacrificial generosity, and even martyrdom mean nothing without love. We can fill our churches, balance our budgets, and create programs that look successful on paper, yet miss what matters most to God. The Corinthians were obsessed with spectacular displays of spirituality, but they lacked the foundation that makes everything meaningful—love.
Pause and talk with the Lord. Ask him if you are pursuing impressive results or genuine love? Are your spiritual activities rooted in love for God and others, or are you seeking recognition and validation? True success isn't measured by numbers or achievements, but by love that reflects Christ's character. Ask him to grow that kind of love in you, and to trust and submit to the faithful work of his Spirit.
Respond: Thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Day 2: Submission to the Lordship of Christ
Rest: Take 2 minutes of silence and invite God - Father, Son, and Spirit - to draw near to you in this time.
Read: Philippians 2:5-11
Reflect: The foundation of biblical love begins with submission. When we declare "Jesus is Lord," we simultaneously declare that we are not. Jesus modeled perfect submission in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying "not my will but yours be done." His humility led him from heaven's throne to a criminal's cross. This same posture must characterize our lives. Submission to Christ's lordship means we don't take credit for good things happening around us—we give God glory. We don't showcase our gifts to elevate ourselves—we point others to Jesus. We surrender our definition of love and adopt His. The Holy Spirit's primary evidence isn't signs and wonders, but willing obedience to Christ's authority.
Pause and talk with the Lord. Ask him if you resisting His lordship in any area of your life today? Ask him to show you what fully submitting that area to Him could look like.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Read: Philippians 2:5-11
Reflect: The foundation of biblical love begins with submission. When we declare "Jesus is Lord," we simultaneously declare that we are not. Jesus modeled perfect submission in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying "not my will but yours be done." His humility led him from heaven's throne to a criminal's cross. This same posture must characterize our lives. Submission to Christ's lordship means we don't take credit for good things happening around us—we give God glory. We don't showcase our gifts to elevate ourselves—we point others to Jesus. We surrender our definition of love and adopt His. The Holy Spirit's primary evidence isn't signs and wonders, but willing obedience to Christ's authority.
Pause and talk with the Lord. Ask him if you resisting His lordship in any area of your life today? Ask him to show you what fully submitting that area to Him could look like.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Day 3: Love Expressed in Community
Rest: Take 2 minutes of silence and invite God - Father, Son, and Spirit - to draw near to you in this time.
Read: Mark 12:28-34; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Reflect: Jesus simplified everything into two commands: love God completely, love your neighbor as yourself. True spirituality doesn't drive us toward ecstasy or individualism, but into the messy, beautiful life of community. The Holy Spirit distributes diverse gifts "for the common good"—not for personal elevation. Your gifts aren't about you; they're about serving others and building up the body of Christ. This requires intentionality. Look around. Who needs encouragement? Who's struggling alone? Who could benefit from your unique gifting? The Corinthians wanted impressive spiritual experiences, but Paul redirected them toward loving service. When we use our gifts with genuine concern for others, the Holy Spirit moves powerfully.
Pause and talk with the Lord. Ask him to show you one specific way you can use your gifts to serve someone else, expecting nothing in return.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Read: Mark 12:28-34; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Reflect: Jesus simplified everything into two commands: love God completely, love your neighbor as yourself. True spirituality doesn't drive us toward ecstasy or individualism, but into the messy, beautiful life of community. The Holy Spirit distributes diverse gifts "for the common good"—not for personal elevation. Your gifts aren't about you; they're about serving others and building up the body of Christ. This requires intentionality. Look around. Who needs encouragement? Who's struggling alone? Who could benefit from your unique gifting? The Corinthians wanted impressive spiritual experiences, but Paul redirected them toward loving service. When we use our gifts with genuine concern for others, the Holy Spirit moves powerfully.
Pause and talk with the Lord. Ask him to show you one specific way you can use your gifts to serve someone else, expecting nothing in return.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Day 4: Unity in Diversity
Rest: Take 2 minutes of silence and invite God - Father, Son, and Spirit - to draw near to you in this time.
Read: Ephesians 4:1-6
Reflect: The church offers something the world cannot replicate: unity amid diversity. When people from different ethnicities, generations, economic backgrounds, and personalities come together under Christ's lordship, serving one another in love, it defies worldly logic. The world divides over these differences through racism, ageism, and classism. But Spirit-led churches celebrate diversity rather than arguing over it. This unity isn't uniformity—it's diverse people submitting to the same Lord, pursuing the same mission, empowered by the same Spirit. There's no other explanation for this phenomenon except God's transforming love.
Ask the Lord to search and examine your heart: Do you embrace those different from you, or do you gravitate only toward people like yourself? Ask the Holy Spirit to expand your capacity to love across dividing lines, demonstrating God's reconciling power.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Read: Ephesians 4:1-6
Reflect: The church offers something the world cannot replicate: unity amid diversity. When people from different ethnicities, generations, economic backgrounds, and personalities come together under Christ's lordship, serving one another in love, it defies worldly logic. The world divides over these differences through racism, ageism, and classism. But Spirit-led churches celebrate diversity rather than arguing over it. This unity isn't uniformity—it's diverse people submitting to the same Lord, pursuing the same mission, empowered by the same Spirit. There's no other explanation for this phenomenon except God's transforming love.
Ask the Lord to search and examine your heart: Do you embrace those different from you, or do you gravitate only toward people like yourself? Ask the Holy Spirit to expand your capacity to love across dividing lines, demonstrating God's reconciling power.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Day 5: Living Love Beyond the Church Walls
Rest: Take 2 minutes of silence and invite God - Father, Son, and Spirit - to draw near to you in this time.
Read: Colossians 3:12-17
Reflect: Love that only exists within church walls isn't biblical love. Our witness to the world depends on how we live in our homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Parents, are you present and patient with your children, or merely providing materially? Employees, do you work with excellence and integrity, or just enough to get by? Neighbors, do you demonstrate Christ-like kindness and generosity? The way we conduct ourselves outside church reveals whether we truly live under Christ's lordship. It's easy to look spiritual on Sunday while harboring bitterness, gossip, and selfishness Monday through Saturday. But authentic love, empowered by the Holy Spirit, transforms every relationship and interaction.
Pause and talk with the Lord. Ask Him to identify one relationship outside church where you struggle to demonstrate love. Pray specifically for the Spirit to fill you with His love for that person, then take one concrete action to express it.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Read: Colossians 3:12-17
Reflect: Love that only exists within church walls isn't biblical love. Our witness to the world depends on how we live in our homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Parents, are you present and patient with your children, or merely providing materially? Employees, do you work with excellence and integrity, or just enough to get by? Neighbors, do you demonstrate Christ-like kindness and generosity? The way we conduct ourselves outside church reveals whether we truly live under Christ's lordship. It's easy to look spiritual on Sunday while harboring bitterness, gossip, and selfishness Monday through Saturday. But authentic love, empowered by the Holy Spirit, transforms every relationship and interaction.
Pause and talk with the Lord. Ask Him to identify one relationship outside church where you struggle to demonstrate love. Pray specifically for the Spirit to fill you with His love for that person, then take one concrete action to express it.
Respond: Spend a moment thanking God for this time, invite Him to continue to speak throughout this day, and close by praying the "Our Father".
Closing Prayer for the Week: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Thank you for what you are doing among us—changing lives, growing your church, and pouring out your Spirit. We confess that too often we chase success the way the world defines it, or use our gifts in ways that draw attention to ourselves instead of to you. Forgive us where we have served, given, or spoken without love.
Holy Spirit, fill us afresh. Teach us to submit to the Lordship of Christ in every part of our lives. Shape us into a people who truly love—who seek the good of others, who build up your church, and who live with integrity at home, at work, and in our city.
Make our community a place where your power is evident, your love is tangible, and all the glory goes to you alone. As we continue through this new series, expose where we lack love, and lead us into deeper obedience, unity, and joy in you.
We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Holy Spirit, fill us afresh. Teach us to submit to the Lordship of Christ in every part of our lives. Shape us into a people who truly love—who seek the good of others, who build up your church, and who live with integrity at home, at work, and in our city.
Make our community a place where your power is evident, your love is tangible, and all the glory goes to you alone. As we continue through this new series, expose where we lack love, and lead us into deeper obedience, unity, and joy in you.
We pray this in the mighty name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.