Your Personal Grow-Pray-Study (GPS) Guide

Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash

In addition to the daily devotions listed below, please consider saying this prayer as you wash up in the morning this week:

Lord, as I wash up to face the day ahead, I remember my baptism.Wash me in your grace. Forgive me my sins. Fill me with Your Spirit. Renew my soul. I seek to live as Your child today and honor you in all that I do. Thank You for making me Your child now and always. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Day 1: Read Romans 6:1-3. Have you been baptized? What do you know about your baptismal story? What does Paul know about your baptismal story? How does that impact your life as you begin a new year?

Day 2: Read Romans 6:4-5. In baptism, you are given new life. Baptism doesn’t only unite you with Jesus death but also with His resurrection. That’s not just a promise of heaven, but Jesus alive and active in your life right now. Where do you need to live alive with Jesus’ presence today?

Day 3: Read Romans 6:6-7. How does Paul describe our lives being free from sin? Why are we no longer a slave to sin?

Day 4: Read Romans 6:8. Dorothy Bass observed: “For all Christians, baptism embodies release from yesterday’s sin and receipt of tomorrow’s promise: going under the water, the old self is buried in the death of Christ; rising form the water, the self is new, joined to the resurrected Christ.” No matter how great or how horrible you feel today, know this truth: When you are baptized, you are God’s child. Jesus lives in you then through you?

Day 5: Read Romans 6:9. Bob Dylan had a song, “Gotta Serve Somebody”. Paul makes it clear we no longer serve death or are a slave to death because of what Jesus has done and what Jesus gives in your baptism. For Paul you can either serve sin or God, but everybody’s gotta serve somebody?

Day 6: Read Romans 6:10-11. How can you remind yourself God is your boss?

Our annual theme for 2022/2023 is "DEVOTED" from Acts 2:42. 

Recent additional GO DEEPER reading opportunities available on Amazon Books (#ads):

• "Lutheranism 101 Baptism" by Charles Lehmann
• "The Soul Felt Its Worth: A 25-Day Devotional Journey Through the Music of Christmas" (The Trinity Project)
• "The Air I Breathe: Worship as a Way of Life" by Louie Giglio

You can also watch this week's sermon or read the full message & GPS here.