Devotionals

Blessed are those who wait for his help.

Revelation 5:2-4 (NLT)

2 And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it.
4 Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it.

REPENTANCE:

Forgive us for caring more about the opinion of others than of yours, move our hearts to be fully devoted to you in absolute trust & forgive us for our sin, oh God: idolatry, people pleasing, and slave to fear.

Isaiah 33:6 (NLT)

6 In that day he will be your sure foundation,
providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.
The fear of the Lord will be your treasure.

PRAY FOR:

A harvest in West & Central Africa.

Matthew 24:14 (NLT)

14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

PRAY: for God’s believers to obey God over man, pray for disciple makers to cast down any idols & to follow God alone & for the bible to be accessible & readable in all languages.

FROM PRAYER TO MISSION:

Turn from Fear of Man to Fear of God:

Tell your story (testimony) of god’s faithfulness and forgiveness to someone today!

Psalm 128:1-4 (NLT)

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

1 How joyful are those who fear the Lord—
all who follow his ways!
2 You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
How joyful and prosperous you will be!
3 Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine,
flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees
as they sit around your table.
4 That is the Lord’s blessing
for those who fear him.

Day 6 of 10 – Turning from Control to Surrender

2 Chronicles 30:8 (NLT)

8 Do not be stubborn, as they were, but submit yourselves to the Lord. Come to his Temple, which he has set apart as holy forever. Worship the Lord your God so that his fierce anger will turn away from you.

ADORATION:

You are the Worthy One

Jude 24-25 (NLT)

A Prayer of Praise
24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.

25 All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

Revelation 5:11-12 (NLT)

11 Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. 12 And they sang in a mighty chorus:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing.”

REPENTANCE:

Forgive us for stubbornly clinging to control from fear, doubt and unbelief, instead help us to hand over our will to you, the king of kings & forgive us for our sin, oh God: unbelief, fear, and conforming to the world.

Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

A Living Sacrifice to God
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

PRAY FOR:

A harvest in East & Southern Africa.

Psalm 67:2 (NLT)

2 May your ways be known throughout the earth,
your saving power among people everywhere.

PRAY: for the spirit to empower believers to fully trust God, pray for church leaders to surrender to being led only by the spirit of Christ & for the bible to be accessible & readable in all languages.

FROM PRAYER TO MISSION:

Turn from Control to Surrender:

Ask God to show you areas of your life in which you are clinging to control. spend 5 minutes in silence listening to the lord. write it down and then rip it up to release it to the lord.

1 Peter 4:1-2 (NLT)

Living for God
1 So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. 2 You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.

Day 5 of 10 – Turning from Safety to Serving

Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT)

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

ADORATION:

You are Rescuer and Deliverer

Psalm 18:16-19 (NLT)

16 He reached down from heaven and rescued me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
18 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
but the Lord supported me.
19 He led me to a place of safety;
he rescued me because he delights in me.

Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)

2 When you go through deep waters,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
you will not be burned up;
the flames will not consume you.

REPENTANCE:

Forgive us for clinging to safety and being fearful of following you when it requires risk, embolden us by your unfailing love which quenches fear & Forgive us for our sin, oh God: religion, doubt, and unbelief.

Proverbs 24:11-12 (NLT)

11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die;
save them as they stagger to their death.
12 Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.”
For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
He who guards your soul knows you knew.
He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

PRAY FOR:

A harvest in Middle East & North Africa.

Luke 24:46-47 (NLT)

46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’

PRAY: for God’s believers to risk what it takes to serve others in love, pray for the Body to move boldly into the gaps to grow the kingdom & for the bible to be accessible & readable in all languages.

FROM PRAYER TO MISSION:

Turn from Safety to Serving:

Make a sacrifice today to serve someone else in a practical way, especially an unbeliever.

Romans 15:20-21 (NLT)

20 My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. 21 I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says,
“Those who have never been told about him will see,
and those who have never heard of him will understand.”

Forgive us for harboring hatred and unforgiveness in our hearts when you have forgiven us of so much! Forgive us for our sin, oh God: prejudice, bitterness, and unforgiveness.

Romans 12:17-21 (NLT)

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,
“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”
says the Lord.

20 Instead,
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”

21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

PRAY FOR:

A harvest in Central Asia.

Colossians 1:21-22 (NLT)

21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.

PRAY: for God to remove cultural & religious prejudice from believers, pray for the body to overcome prejudice by loving their enemies & for the bible to be accessible & readable in all languages

FROM PRAYER TO MISSION:

Turn from Prejudice to Love:

Spend focused time asking the lord to show you people you’ve had bitterness/unforgiveness towards; if you can, go to them, and either way, ask Jesus for forgiveness & make restitution.

Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT)

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Day 3 of 10 – Turning from Independence to Unity

Ephesians 4:1-6 (NLT)
Unity in the Body

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.

5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 one God and Father of all,

who is over all, in all, and living through all.

ADORATION:

You are One God in Three Persons – Unity in Diversity

1 Peter 1:1-2 (NLT)

Greetings from Peter

1 This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ.

I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. 2 God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

May God give you more and more grace and peace.

Luke 3:22 (NLT)

22 and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.

REPENTANCE:

Forgive us for thinking more of ourselves than others, for caring more about making a name for ourselves rather than Jesus & serving others in love, forgive us for our sin, oh God: selfishness, pride, and exalting myself above others.

1 Corinthians 12:24-27 (NLT)

24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

PRAY FOR:

A harvest in South Asia.

Psalm 22:27 (NLT)

27 The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him.
All the families of the nations will bow down before him.

PRAY: for Believers to work together as one in Christ, ask God to break dividing walls between different ministries & for the bible to be accessible & readable in all languages.

FROM PRAYER TO MISSION:

Turn from Independence to Unity:

call and invite a new friend, family member, or acquaintance to join you for your next prayer gathering or time of worship.

Galatians 3:28 (NLT)

28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Day 2 of 10 – Turning from Apathy to Passion

1 John 3:17-18 (NLT)

17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister[a] in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

ADORATION:

You are Emmanuel, God with Us.

Matthew 1:23 (NLT)

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Emmanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.’”

Romans 5:8 (NLT)

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

REPENTANCE:

Forgive us for failing to imitate you, Jesus, for we did not remain in your glory, but you took action even while we were your enemies, to save us; Forgive us for our sin, oh God: arrogance, unconcerned, apathetic.

Ezekiel 16:49-50 (NLT)

Do Not Love This World

49 Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. 50 She was proud and committed detestable sins, so I wiped her out, as you have seen.

PRAY FOR:

A harvest in Northeast Asia.

Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT)

14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.

PRAY: for Believers to want the love of God to reach the lost, for the underground church to keep sharing Jesus & for the bible to be accessible & readable in all languages

FROM PRAYER TO MISSION:

Turn from Apathy to Passion for the Lost:

Go visit a different cultural restaurant, shop, or neighborhood in your area today. prayer walk the area and speak love and life over those in that culture.

Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

10 Days of Awe – Day 1 of 10 – Beginning of the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)

Titus 2:11-14 (NLT)

11 For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. 12 And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, 13 while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. 14 He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.

ADORATION:

You are our Father in Heaven – Holy is Your Name.

1 Samuel 2:2 (NLT)

2 No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides You;
there is no Rock like our God.

Exodus 15:11 (NLT)

11 “Who is like you among the gods, O Lord—
glorious in holiness,
awesome in splendor,
performing great wonders?

REPENTANCE:

Forgive us for choosing our own way rather than humbling ourselves under Your loving wise leadership and direction. Forgive us for our sin, oh God: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes & pride.

1 John 2:15-17 (NLT)
Do Not Love This World

15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

PRAY FOR:
A harvest in South Pacific & Southeast Asia.

Psalm 67:1-2 (NLT)
For the choir director: A song. A psalm, to be accompanied by stringed instruments.

1 May God be merciful and bless us.
May his face smile with favor on us. Interlude

2 May your ways be known throughout the earth,
your saving power among people everywhere.

God deliver those bound in darkness into Your light, may there be a widespread revelation of Your glory and may the Bible to be accessible and readable in all languages for everyone within Your created world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

FROM PRAYER TO MISSION:

Turn darkness to light in your community.

Take a prayer walk around your neighborhood today. If you see someone, engage in conversation and ask, “what is one thing I can pray for you?”

1 Peter 2:9-10

9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

10 “Once you had no identity as a people;
now you are God’s people.
Once you received no mercy;
now you have received God’s mercy.”

Tomorrow we will join in the 10 Days of Prayer movement and here is everything you need to know:

WHAT IS IT: It is “10 Days of Prayer” in which we are seeking to grow God’s Kingdom around the globe in preparation for Christ’s return. C2C Church is one of the in-person prayer locations during this movement. C2C Church, under the guidance of Pastor Mary, has the desire to see God move within our community and so do 10 other churches within Pinellas County, who are each offering 1 of the 10 days during this movement as an in-person prayer location. The church listing for each day can be found at the bottom of this message. The information includes the church name, address, date, time, and place to meet.

WHEN IS IT: The 10 Days of Prayer (or 10 “Days of Awe”) begins tomorrow, Friday, September 15th on the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) and ends on the evening of Sunday, September 24th going into Monday, September 25th so on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

WHY DO IT: Together in prayer, as One Body in Christ, this is a time where Jesus Christ is the focus of every heart in our geographical area, and throughout the entire globe, for 10 days. The vision is to see thousands of cities simultaneously and continually seeking God’s face in prayer for 240 hours in unity and to see individuals placing God ahead of all else by devoting themselves to prayer with other believers. Together, we are forming a global upper room (Acts 1-2) as an act of intercession so that entire cities and regions may come to repentance (Jonah 1-4) and be transformed. It’s a call to take a break from what is “normal” on earth so we can enter into what is our eternal and true normal in heaven. Revelation chapters 4-5 describe the kind of worship that is normal in heaven. It is rooted in the 10 “Days of Awe” between the biblical Feasts of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. These feasts prophetically foreshadow the second coming of Christ. Therefore, 10 Days is also a time of longing for the return of Jesus and praying that many more hearts will join into His Kingdom before His return.

WHERE TO GO: You are encouraged to click here to visit the 10 Days of Prayer website for additional information. As mentioned, the local churches, days, times, etc. of the in-person prayer can be seen below and found in the Events sections on the C2C Church website. The daily prayer cards that you received on Sunday will allow you to join in prayer each day from a remote location if you cannot join in-person. The same information that was printed on each card is going to be provided daily by email through the devotional email list, as well as posted daily on the C2C Church Facebook page. There are multiple ways to find the daily prayer information so that we can all be in prayer as One Church.

Each day will begin with a main piece of scripture that ties to our prayer focus for that day. Then we will spend time in Adoration of Adonai and two additional pieces of scripture are provided for that precious time with Him. Next, we will move into a focused time of Repentance seeking forgiveness for those things that go against God, and additional scripture is provided to deepen our prayer time. Each day a different region is specified for Prayer so that within 10 days we have prayed for the entire globe. There is a piece of scripture to accompany our prayers for each region within the world. Finally, we are tasked each day to move from Prayer to Mission meaning we need to go out and be the hands, feet, and heart of Jesus Christ for others within our community.

1 Timothy 2:1 (NLT)
Instructions about Worship

1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for allowing us the privilege to bow before You in prayer. Thank You for hearing our prayers, for raining down blessings, for miracles, and for our eternal life with You. Help us, over the next 10 days to be in one accord with You and unite us as brothers and sisters in oneness with the desires of Your heart. Holy Spirit, guide each one of us as we pray each day. We ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

In-Person Places to Pray as One Body:

Friday, Sept 15th – New Creation Family Church, 100 Pasadena Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33710. Located in the chapel (not sanctuary), 6-8 PM.

Saturday, Sept 16th – Zion House of Prayer, 3900 28th St. N St Petersburg, FL 33714. Located in the main worship center, 6-8 PM.

Sunday, Sept 17th – Exciting Central Tampa Baptist Church, 2923 N Tampa St, Tampa, FL 33602. Located in the sanctuary, 9-11 AM.

Monday, Sept 18th – Exceeding Grace Christian Center, 2361 7th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33712. Located in the sanctuary, 7-9 PM.
Liberty Worship Center, 405 1st Ave SW, Largo, FL 33770. Located in the sanctuary, 6:30-8:30 PM.
Sea Glass Church, 202 Flamingo Dr, Apollo Beach, FL 33572. Located in the sanctuary, 7-9 PM.

Tuesday, Sept 19th – Zion House of Prayer, 3900 28th St. N St Petersburg FL 33714. Located in the prayer house behind the church, 6:30-8:30 PM.

Wednesday, Sept 20th – Feather Sound Church, 13880 Feather Sound Dr, Clearwater, FL 33762. Located in the sanctuary, 7-9 PM.

Thursday, Sept 21st – Legacy Church. 3737 1st St NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33704. Located in the Fellowship Hall, 6:30-8 PM.

Friday, Sept 22nd – Church by the Sea, 495 137th Avenue Cir, Madeira Beach, FL 33708. Located in the sanctuary, 6:30-8:30 PM.

Saturday, Sept 23rd – Skycrest Community Church 125 N Belcher Rd, Clearwater, FL 33765. Located in the lobby, 4- 6 PM.

Sunday, Sept 24th – Connect2Christ Church, 9398 Oakhurst Rd, Seminole, FL 33776. Located in the sanctuary, 9:45-11:45 AM.

Feather Sound Church, 13880 Feather Sound Dr, Clearwater, FL 33762.
Located in the sanctuary, 7-9 PM.

Monday, Sept 25th – This is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, and you are encouraged to fast and pray through sundown.

From September 4th through September 14th several Connect2Christ Church Family members will be leading our devotional time. This will allow us an opportunity to learn more about our brother’s and sister’s hearts for Christ through each of their devotions.

Hi, my name is Maria Acerbo and on January 24, 2016, I lost my 27-year-old son, Christopher, to drugs. We all suffer, and this letter is to share with you how I was able to persevere through my suffering at the most difficult time of my life.

The night my boy left this earth I had a dream. In the dream I was in my son’s bedroom, and I knew Chris was talking with Jesus. I could not hear the words they were saying, but I understood as I could see myself crying and begging God to NOT take my boy and to make me “His lamb, His sacrifice, NOT my boy”! I woke up the next morning and received a call that EMS was on their way as my son was found in his bedroom not breathing. I immediately remembered my dream, and after Chris passed it served as confirmation that my boy was safe and in the loving arms of Jesus. God knew I needed the dream as it is a constant reminder of eternal life and that I will one day be with my boy. This doesn’t mean that I do not suffer; it means that I understand and embrace my suffering as it is all for the Glory of Christ. When evil tried and continues to try to take me down, I rejoice in God’s Glory. I keep my eyes and heart wide open to stay loving and trust in God Who is in control of my life.

Before my son passed, I was looking for a church. I did not know why, but I decided to visit a church every Sunday until I found the right one for me. Throughout my life I did not have a Christian mentor or much teaching, but when I found Connect2Christ Church I knew that I found my home. During my first visit, as Peter Talbott prayed for the world, I felt Jesus touch my heart. This moment changed my life, and I cannot thank Peter Talbott, Pastor Mary, and my Connect2Christ Family enough for helping me find my relationship with Jesus. Most important is how they all showed me Jesus’s love through their lives, so I could make it through my suffering. We all suffer, but being able to embrace our suffering together through the love of Christ makes our suffering so much easier. Thank you, my C2C Family!

1 Peter 4:12 & 13 (NLT)

Suffering for Being a Christian

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

Prayer: Good morning, Jesus. Thank You for everything You have done in my life. Thank You for preparing me and especially for showing me You were going to take my son. Thank You for always covering me with Your beautiful grace and protecting my heart. I am so grateful that You’re my eternal reward. I will always be Yours! Amen.

From September 4th through September 14th several Connect2Christ Church Family members will be leading our devotional time. This will allow us an opportunity to learn more about our brother’s and sister’s hearts for Christ through each of their devotions.

My Name Is: Wally Nickse

About 5 years ago, I was looking for a church close to my home. I started visiting C2C Church, which is an 8-minute drive. Boy did I find a gold mine! A church that felt like family; a caring pastor who teaches from God’s Word, and music that is a ministry in itself. I truly believe that Jesus led me to C2C Church so I would grow.

Since joining C2C Church, I find that Jesus is in my mind and thoughts so much more. I try to listen for His voice and respond. He has taught me that He has been there for me as long as I can remember, although I did not always realize it.

One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 26:1-4, and the third verse encourages me to keep my mind on Jesus, and to trust Him.

Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV)

3 You will keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

In these times, the world tugs at us, saying “follow me”. My challenge to you is to ignore the world as much as you can and renew your mind by filling it with Jesus. I find that this helps me grow in my relationship with Jesus.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Church and for C2C Church. I pray strength and wisdom for our leadership at C2C Church, and success for our Missions. I pray Your blessing over each of our members and may we each be good students of Your Word. May this be a day that we listen for You to speak to our hearts. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.