Week of July 26
Message Title: IS It Worth It?
5-Day Bible Reading Plan and Devotional Guide
Theme: Letting the Children Come -- Faith, Humility, and the Kingdom of God
Day 1: The Priority of the Next Generation Reading: Mark 10:13-16
Devotional: Jesus did not merely tolerate children -- He welcomed them with open arms and declared that the kingdom of God belongs to those who come with their kind of faith. The disciples thought children were a distraction. Jesus called them an example. This challenges every believer to examine what we truly prioritize. Are the souls of the young people around us a genuine concern, or an afterthought? Ask God today to give you a heart that sees children the way Jesus sees them -- not as interruptions, but as eternal souls worthy of time, attention, and love.
Day 2: Humility as the Gateway to Greatness Reading: Matthew 18:1-5
Devotional: The disciples asked who would be greatest in the kingdom. Jesus answered by placing a child in front of them. Greatness, in God's economy, is not measured by influence, accomplishment, or recognition. It is measured by humility. Pride is one of the greatest barriers keeping adults from surrendering to Christ. A child does not pretend to be self-sufficient. A child reaches up. That is precisely the posture God calls every believer to maintain -- not just at the moment of salvation, but every single day. Lay down your pride today and reach toward the Father with open hands.
Day 3: The Weight of Our Influence Reading: Matthew 18:6-10 Devotional: Jesus issued one of His most sobering warnings to those who would lead young or new believers away from faith. Our words, our example, our treatment of others carry real spiritual weight. Whether through a bad example, a cruel word, or a dismissive attitude toward someone's faith, we can become a stumbling block rather than a stepping stone. This is not meant to produce fear, but reverence -- a deep awareness that how we live affects those watching us. Ask God to reveal any area of your life where your influence may be pulling someone away rather than pointing them toward Christ.
Day 4: Planting, Watering, and Trusting God for the Harvest Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:5-9
Devotional: Paul reminds us that no single person is responsible for another's salvation. One plants. Another waters. But God alone brings the growth. This is both a relief and a call to faithfulness. We are not responsible for the harvest -- we are responsible for the labor. Every Bible lesson taught, every prayer prayed over a child, every act of kindness shown to a young person is a seed dropped into soil that only God can cultivate. Do not grow weary in the planting. Do not despise the quiet work of watering. Trust the God of the harvest to do what only He can do.
Day 5: Train Them Up -- The Long View of Faithful Investment Reading: Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:6-9
Devotional: Scripture consistently calls parents, leaders, and the church community to invest intentionally in the spiritual formation of the next generation. Deuteronomy 6 describes a life where God's Word is woven into every moment -- morning, evening, walking, sitting, rising. It is not a program. It is a way of life. The results may not always be immediate. Young people may wander. But the Word planted in a child's heart does not return void. Stay faithful. Keep praying. Keep teaching. Keep loving. The seeds sown in a child's earliest years have a way of finding their roots long after the planting season has passed.
Theme: Letting the Children Come -- Faith, Humility, and the Kingdom of God
Day 1: The Priority of the Next Generation Reading: Mark 10:13-16
Devotional: Jesus did not merely tolerate children -- He welcomed them with open arms and declared that the kingdom of God belongs to those who come with their kind of faith. The disciples thought children were a distraction. Jesus called them an example. This challenges every believer to examine what we truly prioritize. Are the souls of the young people around us a genuine concern, or an afterthought? Ask God today to give you a heart that sees children the way Jesus sees them -- not as interruptions, but as eternal souls worthy of time, attention, and love.
Day 2: Humility as the Gateway to Greatness Reading: Matthew 18:1-5
Devotional: The disciples asked who would be greatest in the kingdom. Jesus answered by placing a child in front of them. Greatness, in God's economy, is not measured by influence, accomplishment, or recognition. It is measured by humility. Pride is one of the greatest barriers keeping adults from surrendering to Christ. A child does not pretend to be self-sufficient. A child reaches up. That is precisely the posture God calls every believer to maintain -- not just at the moment of salvation, but every single day. Lay down your pride today and reach toward the Father with open hands.
Day 3: The Weight of Our Influence Reading: Matthew 18:6-10 Devotional: Jesus issued one of His most sobering warnings to those who would lead young or new believers away from faith. Our words, our example, our treatment of others carry real spiritual weight. Whether through a bad example, a cruel word, or a dismissive attitude toward someone's faith, we can become a stumbling block rather than a stepping stone. This is not meant to produce fear, but reverence -- a deep awareness that how we live affects those watching us. Ask God to reveal any area of your life where your influence may be pulling someone away rather than pointing them toward Christ.
Day 4: Planting, Watering, and Trusting God for the Harvest Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:5-9
Devotional: Paul reminds us that no single person is responsible for another's salvation. One plants. Another waters. But God alone brings the growth. This is both a relief and a call to faithfulness. We are not responsible for the harvest -- we are responsible for the labor. Every Bible lesson taught, every prayer prayed over a child, every act of kindness shown to a young person is a seed dropped into soil that only God can cultivate. Do not grow weary in the planting. Do not despise the quiet work of watering. Trust the God of the harvest to do what only He can do.
Day 5: Train Them Up -- The Long View of Faithful Investment Reading: Proverbs 22:6; Deuteronomy 6:6-9
Devotional: Scripture consistently calls parents, leaders, and the church community to invest intentionally in the spiritual formation of the next generation. Deuteronomy 6 describes a life where God's Word is woven into every moment -- morning, evening, walking, sitting, rising. It is not a program. It is a way of life. The results may not always be immediate. Young people may wander. But the Word planted in a child's heart does not return void. Stay faithful. Keep praying. Keep teaching. Keep loving. The seeds sown in a child's earliest years have a way of finding their roots long after the planting season has passed.
