Your Personal Grow-Pray-Study (GPS) Guide

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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.

Photo by Rachael Cox on Unsplash

Day 1: Read John 3:3. When you think of your baptism, what images, stories, memories and special moments come to mind? What does it mean for you to be part of God’s family? -- If you haven’t been baptized, what are you waiting for?

Day 2: Read Galatians 3:26-27. Where in your life right now, do you need to remember your identity as a Child of God? 

Day 3: Read Psalm 32:1-2. In baptism, in an instant, God washes away our sins to reveal the masterpiece He has made us to be. Because of our baptism and what Jesus has done on the cross, God stands ready to forgive our sins. Where do you need to take the psalmist’s advice and confess your transgressions and sins to the Lord?

Day 4: Read Acts 2:38-39. Forgiveness is a daily gift from God. How can you remember each day that your sins are forgiven?

Day 5: Read John 3:14-15. When we hear the words eternal life, most of us tend to interpret that as “a life waiting for eternity.” But eternal means, “unending,” not “later.” In baptism, eternal life starts now because of what Jesus came to do. How does eternity being part of your life right now as a Child of God, change your perspective on the past day? On the day ahead?

Day 6: Read Romans 6:4. A daily return to baptism is not that we are baptized anew each day, but each day we remember our baptism as Paul speaks of dying and rising again. Let each day begin with the strength of God's forgiving love and power for facing life. How can you remind yourself each day you are baptized – a Child of God, forgiven, and living with an eternal dimension to life?

You can Go Deeper this week by:

• Reading Martin Luther’s Small and Large Catechism
• As you get ready to wash up for the day, pray this prayer …
  • “Lord, as I wash up to face the day ahead, I remember my baptism. Wash me in your grace. Forgive my sins. Fill me with your Spirit. Renew my soul. I pray that I might live as your child today, and honor you in all that I do. Thank you for making me your child now and always! Amen.”

Don't forget you can watch this week's sermon message or read the full PDF of the sermon message & GPS.

CREATE FOR COMMUNITY PRAYER REQUESTS: For patience with parking challenges during construction (currently estimating completion by the end of October 2019). For safety and efficiency of our construction crews. For those who have given generously for these improvements.