“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Love: an intense feeling of deep affection

Today’s Rethink Church Photo-A-Day word is love. Think about someone you love here on earth. In fact, think about the person or persons you love the most. The love God has for you and me is even greater. Have you shared the love of Christ with your loved ones? Do they know how much God loves them? How about your friends? Your coworkers? Be intentional today about sharing the love of Christ with someone you know.

Dear God, Thank You for loving me so much that You sent Your son to die for me. Give me the courage to share Your love with others today. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Rethink Church Photo-A-Day is message. What message are you sharing? Are you answering the call by Jesus to spread the gospel? Are you sharing the Good News in dark places?

Take a moment to read all of Mark 16. May God give you a renewed fire for spreading His message.

Dear God, thank You for sending Your Son to save each of us. Renew the spark within me to go out into all the world and spread Your message of love, forgiveness, and everlasting life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Rethink Church Photo-A-Day word is celebrate. Have you noticed that celebrate has been the word each Sunday? Why do you think we are reminded to celebrate on Sundays ? As Christians we are called to corporate, communal worship.

“‘For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.’” Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Each Sunday, we have the opportunity to join together in the presence of Christ. What a reason to celebrate!

Today, I encourage you to join in a corporate worship service. Be aware of all that occurs, thank God for the opportunity to gather together, and celebrate!

Click here for reasons Christians need to participate in corporate worship.

Dear God, Thank You for the promise of Your presence when I am gathered with others in Your name. May we all celebrate, praise, and honor You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Today’s Rethink Photo-A-Day word is remains. Remnant is a small remaining quantity of something. Join us on YouTube for 👉 See You Saturday!

“There will be a highway for the remnant of his people that is left from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from Egypt.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭11‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬

“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.” Exodus ‭14‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Dear Lord, Thank You for Your love that surpasses knowledge so that I may be filled with the fullness of Your Holy Spirit (Eph 3:19). Show me Your ways, Lord, teach me Your paths (Psa 25:4). You are the way, the truth, and the life (Joh 14:6). Help me to deny myself and daily take up my cross (Matt 16:24). In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

“Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. ‘He put mud on my eyes,’ the man replied, ‘and I washed, and now I see.’” John‬ ‭9‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Rethink Church Photo-A-Day word is see. Take a moment to look at all the details in Ray’s photo of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. Do you see all the details in the stained glass window? Now read today’s key verse from John. Just like the blind man couldn’t see, trying to look and see through stained glass is like having mud on our eyes. Being focused on sin, whether ours or someone else’s can also be like mud on our eyes. This particular stained glass window is of Jesus dying on the cross for all sins.

The Pharisees couldn’t understand how a sinner who sinned by healing on the Sabbath could have been sent by God. In verses 24-25, we read: “A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. ‘Give glory to God by telling the truth,’ they said. ‘We know this man is a sinner.’ He replied, ‘ Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!’” As a result, Jesus had to be crucified.

We know how precious the blood of Christ Jesus is but did you know that the body produces between 173 and 259 billion red blood cells per day, which also results in roughly the same amount of RBCs dying off per day? If you do the math, that is approximately 2 million red blood cells dying and regenerating every second! Can you visualize our sin dying and our grace regenerating daily? Let’s use John 3:16-17 in a prayer.

Dear God, Thank You for loving the world that You gave Your one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Thank you for sending Your Son into the world, not to condemn us, but to be saved through Him. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

For homework, I encourage you to read the entire passage surrounding today’s verse from John 9:1-41.

“Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days— You would not believe if you were told.” Habakkuk‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

Today’s Rethink Church Photo-A-Day word is astonishing. According to the dictionary astonishing means, extremely surprising or impressive, or amazing. Take a look at Ray’s photo of Amphitrite, the underwater mermaid statue at Grand Cayman Island on a vacation in 2017. I imagine in person this 9 feet, bronze statue is astonishing.

Now read our key verse Habakkuk, who is telling us to look around and to be astonished at what God is doing. This was God’s answer after Habakkuk had been complaining about the violence and destruction around him. God tells him He is raising up Babylonians, also known as Chaldeans to bring judgment and punishment to His people of Judah.

Obviously, in our day to day, we will not be seeing statues of mermaids but we do live in a fallen world full of violence and destruction. We also live in a world where we are blessed to serve and worship a God who lives and reigns in and through us. A God who can bring beauty from ashes. Let’s pray and ask God to open our eyes to His astonishing beauty.

Dear God, You never cease to amaze me. Thank You for living and reigning in my life among a fallen world. Open my eyes to be astonished by Your beauty. Help me to share your wonder with all those that I come in contact with. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

For more information on the Amphitrite mermaid statue, you can visit Mermaids of The Earth

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today’s Rethink Photo-A-Day word is opened. Like the Magi in our key verse opened their treasures for Jesus, we open gifts at Christmas time in celebration of Jesus’s birth. Today I want us to think of an opened door as a gift. In Ray’s picture above there is an open door to a vacation suite. If you look further into the photo there is a second opened door. That door opens to a beautiful river in the Smoky Mountains, a view gifted from God. I have also included a picture of a quote by Tobymac: “sometimes we barely notice ourselves walking through the doors we once prayed would open”. Have you prayed for a door to open and then one day when it does open, you miss seeing it as a treasured gift from God?

God desires to be praised for those opened doors but more importantly, He desires an open door to our hearts. He sacrificed His son, Christ Jesus so that He could have a relationship with us. Next time we see an open door, I encourage us to examine our heart health. Prayer is vital to our health. Worship is what keeps the blessings in view. God’s word is a light to our path. Everything flows from the heart. Let’s pray.

Dear Heavenly Father, I offer You the gift of my heart. Thank You for the gifts You offer through having a relationship with You. Thank You for the beautiful views of Your creation. Thank You for opening doors. I desire to keep my heart and eyes open to You. Help me not to miss a blessing. In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.