Audio Devotionals: Recent Episodes
Sycamore Community Church
Join us on a 40-day journey through death to life. These short devotionals are designed to help us strengthen our relationship with God as we read the Bible, pray and take our next step of faith.
John 19:31-42 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- To what degree are you eager to publicly associate with Jesus?
- Is there an area in your life where you tend to shrink back from identifying him as Savior and Lord? How do you sense him offering you grace and boldness in this area?
- Where do you want to be closer to Jesus? What opportunities is he giving you to do so?
Mark 14:12-50 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- Where are you feeling attacked in your life right now? How is Jesus offering you encouragement as you observe him in this passage?
- What practices and patterns do you have that build your dependence on God? If you don’t have any, how might God be leading you to start one?
Mark 14:1-11 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- If you’re honest, is your relationship with God marked more by joy, satisfaction and affection or anger, bitterness and discontentment? Why?
- What opportunities do you sense God giving you to cultivate a heart of thankfulness and worship in response to his love and grace?
Matthew 25:31-46 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- What is a simple, repeatable practice that you could implement in your life to remember who Jesus is and what he’s done for you on the Cross?
- Who is “the least” in your life? What will you start doing to meet their needs?
Matthew 21:12-17 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- What does this passage reveal about Jesus?
- What if Jesus showed up in your life today? How do you think you would react to him? Would he fit with your life or disrupt it?
Luke 7:36-50 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- What is your association with Jesus? (Listen to the audio for an explanation of this question.)
- Have you experienced Jesus’ forgiveness? If not, do you want to? Are you willing to give me your old life and walk with him into a new one?
Mark 2:23-3:6 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- Where do you feel tempted to believe that you are superior to others? How do you sense God offering you the gift of greater humility?
- To what degree are you sensitive to the needs, challenges and pain of others? What opportunity might God be giving you to grow in this area?
Mark 2:1-12 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- How have you personally experienced the effects of sin? Think in terms of physically, emotionally and spiritually.
- What does it mean to you that Jesus has power and authority over sin in all of its dimensions? Do you feel encouraged, challenged or indifferent about that? Why?
Luke 7:11-17 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- What is most compelling to you about this passage? Can you relate to it personally in any way?
- What does this passage reveal about Jesus? How does that revelation impact your life?
Mark 1:15, 40-46 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- Do you see Jesus as good news? Why or why not?
- What good news do you sense God offering you through this passage? How do you plan to respond to that good news?
Exodus 12:21-36 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- What is your testimony of God’s grace and power? Consider writing it out in full.
- How would you respond if someone asked you, “What does Jesus mean to you?”
Genesis 12:1-20 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- What most grabs your attention about the parallels between the Passover in Egypt and the death of Jesus on the Cross?
- What if it’s true that Jesus will return at any moment to judge the earth and establish his kingdom on earth? How does this affect how you relate to him? How does it affect how you see the people around you?
Exodus 11 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- In there an area of your life in which you’re resisting God? If so, why? What might it take for you to change your mind about him?
- How do you sense God leading you to respond to the content of today’s passage?
Exodus 7:14-10:29 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- If you are a person who isn’t sure about Jesus, what do you need to be sure? How much more evidence will it take?
- If you are a follower of Jesus, think about what God is calling you to right now. In what way are you discouraged in your call because you’re being distracted by the need to know how it will work out? What might you do stay focused on Jesus and keep trusting in him?
Exodus 5:22-6:12; 7:1-7 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- How sympathetic are you to the needs of the people in your life who are discouraged, broken, lost and afraid? What does your answer say about your heart right now?
- What would it look like for you to have a soft heart toward God, to be receptive to his Word and open to his ways?
Exodus 4:1-17 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- Have you ever been in a situation where you were convinced that God was leading you, but you would not go because of your weaknesses or insecurities?
- Will you today let go of your doubts and deficiencies and let God express his power in your life?
Exodus 3 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- Do you have a sense of God’s larger call on your life?
- Where do you need Jesus’ “blank check”? Will you go to him today in faith and believe that he is the Great I AM… (whatever you need)?
Exodus 2 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- What are the things that have “worked out” for your good even though you had nothing to do with them? Is it possible that God, in his love for you, has been protecting and preserving your life?
- Is there an area of your life in which you are “good without God” or going without God? How might God be inviting you to sync up with him in that area?
Exodus 1:1-2:4 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- Be honest: What or who are you afraid of?
- Be honest: In what or in whom do you trust most?
- How is God giving you an opportunity to believe in him today so that you don’t have to be afraid?
Luke 4:1-15; Matthew 4:23-25 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- What will it take for you to develop a regular rhythm of time alone with God?
- As you pray with God, how do you sense him leading you to greater dependence on him?
Luke 4:1-13 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- Where do you feel most vulnerable in terms of distrusting God or looking elsewhere for fulfillment: appetite, ambition or approval?
- What is the Lord’s word of grace to you in that area of vulnerability? How might Jesus be offering you victory?
Luke 4:1-13 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- How does this passage challenge, change or affirm what you believe about Jesus?
- How do you sense God encouraging you with this passage?
John 3:1-15 / LINK
Reflect & Respond:
- If you’re honest, what do you think it takes to get to heaven?
- If you’re a follower of Jesus, what about your life is different because of him? Where do you feel tempted to be “a good person” rather than giving him more control to change you from the inside-out?
Luke 3:1-6, 21-22 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- Spend a moment to re-read this passage on your own and imagine being a person in the crowd watching everything that happened. What about this account stands out to you most?
- What would it take for you to find your primary identity in Christ? How do you sense God inviting you to take your next step in that direction?
Matthew 2:1-12 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- What might it take for you to “get a glimpse” of God today? How might you be intentional to look for him?
- What do you think about the gifts that the Magi gave Jesus? Is it possible that they were to reveal his identity as King, God and Savior?
Luke 2:22-35 / READ
Read & Reflect
- What does this passage reveal about God that encourages or inspires you?
- What do you think about the claim that Jesus is the promised Savior of the world? Do you doubt that in any way? What might help you overcome your doubt?
Luke 2:1-20 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- How is God encouraging you with this passage?
- How might you be more intentional about pausing your life to observe what is happening in your life and identify what God is doing in it?
John 1:1-14 / READ
Reflect & Respond
- Where do you stand with John’s description of Jesus? Do you believe it?
- How would it impact your life if John’s description of Jesus is true?
Genesis 8:13-22 / LINK
Reflect & Respond
- What would you say is the center of your life?
- What has God done in your life that is worthy of your praise and allegiance?
- What would it look like for you to worship God authentically?
Genesis 7:17-8:12 / LINK
Reflect & Respond:
- How has the Lord called you to live for him based on who you are and where you are?
- What might it look like for you to measure progress in seasons and years rather than days and weeks? What do you need from God in order to live like that?
Genesis 6:9-7:16 / LINK
Reflect & Respond:
- Where do you need patience in God’s call on your life?
Genesis 6 / LINK
Reflect & Respond:
- How do you sense God inviting you to trust him and take your next step of faith along the narrow road?
Genesis 4:1-16 / LINK
Reflect & Respond:
- What do you see when you read this passage through Cain’s eyes?
- Is there anywhere in your life that you’re giving sin an opportunity to hurt you? Will you confess it to God to be set free in his forgiveness?
Genesis 3 / LINK
Reflect & Respond:
- What do you find to be most challenging about this passage? most hopeful?
- To what degree are you able to identify God’s grace (unearned, undeserved goodness) in your life? Be as specific as you can and consider making a written list. For you, what is an appropriate response to his grace?
Genesis 3 / LINK
Reflect & Respond:
- What is your picture of God?
- What is one thing that you could do on a daily basis to reinforce an accurate picture of God?
Genesis 2:4-25 / LINK
Reflect & Respond:
- Is there someone in my life who I treat as less than myself through my words, thoughts or actions?
- Where is God giving me an opportunity to promote human equality?
Genesis 1:1-2:3 / LINK
Reflect & Respond:
- What about God stands out to you from this passage?
- How does this passage impact how you see God and relate to him?